


Just the way you are

by AlexaCardew



Category: Glee, Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Family, First Love, First Time, Friendship, M/M, Marijuana, Romance, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 15:24:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/888813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexaCardew/pseuds/AlexaCardew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Burt Hummel drinks away his savings after the death of his wife and nearly loses his son. Kurt Hummel spends his summer in foster care where he befriends two brothers, Ian and Philip Gallagher. Later, they meet again when Kurt and his father move into the same neighborhood in the south of Chicago. Kurt isn’t ashamed of the life they are living now until he meets the wealthy Blaine Anderson, who is trying his best to assure Kurt that he has nothing to be ashamed of. One Shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just the way you are

**Author's Note:**

> Long Author’s Note: This is a sort of crossover with Shameless, but you don’t have to watch the show to understand this because it’s quiet a bit AU. I got inspired to write this when I came across an article comparing Glee’s Kurt and Shameless’ Ian and for some reason I decided that I wanted them to be unlikely best friends and Blaine to be related to Fiona’s boyfriend.
> 
> This was planned as a summer-y one shot but it ended up quite long. 
> 
> I took the bus to Chicago nearly every weekend while I was studying abroad in Illinois, but all I know in the South Side is the 95th street bus station. My description of that part of Chicago is based solely on Shameless.
> 
> One thing about the last part of this story: I consider myself a total baby penguin when it comes to writing M rated stuff, so this was really difficult for me to write and I hope it doesn't totally suck.
> 
> Spoilers: Shameless: S01 – 03 Glee: S01 - 02
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters appearing on either show.

** JUST THE WAY YOU ARE **

When I was eight years old, my mother died in a car accident. My dad, Burt, he didn’t handle it well. No one expected us to just accept it and get over it, but while I spent hours crying in her closet, my dad drowned his sorrows at a local bar. Eventually, we learned to live with our loss but while I stopped crying, my dad didn’t stop drinking. My dad worked in a big auto repair shop that catered to wealthy clients with expensive cars, but when he started showing up at work drunk - if he even showed up - he was fired. During that time, I had to learn how to take care of myself. I taught myself how to cook because my dad lived off beer and the occasional burger at the pub and more often than not, he forgot to bring something back for me. When I ran out of clean clothes, I asked a neighbor to show me how the washing machine worked. And I started cleaning the house when I realized my dad wasn’t going to do it.

We lost our house too when my dad couldn’t pay the mortgage anymore and moved in with one of dad’s drinking buddies. My parents' friends tried to help at first, but when my dad kept ignoring them or on bad days, insulted them, they stopped coming over until my dad’s only friends were his drinking buddies from the pub. For a year and a half my dad and I lived with whoever had space and was willing to take us it. Now, my dad was six years sober and had gotten his life back on track, but it took me breaking my arm when I was ten to get him to see he had a problem. 

I’d been in the hospital for three days when a social worker finally managed to track down my dad and her message was clear; either my dad would clean up his act or I would be put into the foster care system permanently. You could imagine my relief when my dad checked himself into rehab instead of choosing booze. While my dad seeked treatment, I was put with a family who housed a large number of foster kids. They admitted freely that they were only doing it for the money but they didn’t treat me badly. It was the other kids in the house who made my life miserable. I’d broken my arm on the playground when an older boy shoved me off the jungle gym. At the Bailey’s, my foster family, I suddenly had to live with older and meaner versions of the playground bullies. Two boys my age were different though. They didn’t hit unless they were provoked. And when Ian saw that I was being harassed by an older kid, he and his brother Philip made sure the boy never came near me again.

They came from a similar background, only the Gallagher's mother wasn't dead but had abandoned them. Also, they came from a large family. They had an older sister called Fiona who was fifteen, and two younger siblings, Debbie and Carl, who were four and five. I didn't have much in common with Philip, who insisted that people called him Lip and who at nearly twelve, only wanted to talk about girls' boobs all the time, which I thought was gross. He was a lot taller than me and was already sneaking smokes with the older kids in the home. But Ian and I bonded during the short time we stayed with the same foster family. Ian had reddish hair, which set him apart from the rest of the family, and liked to play with action figures. While I wasn't a fan of the games – I preferred marrying off my Power Rangers – I was happy to find a boy who actually wanted to play with me.

The Gallagher brothers didn't stay long – apparently it was part of their life to spend a few days in foster care before their father somehow managed to get them back – and I was sad when they left. But they had taught me some valuable lessons and when the next older boy tried to harass me, I knew where to hit to cause the most pain. I wasn't strong like the older boys but I was quick and light on my feet, which I started to use to my advantage. I spent nearly all summer between fourth and fifth grade with the Baileys, but two weeks before school started again, my dad finally came to pick me up. He looked like a totally different person. He had shaved off his beard and cut his hair, he was wearing clean clothes and the bags under his eyes were gone. I flung myself into my father's arms the moment he crossed the threshold and refused to let go for a few minutes.

After I had packed my few belongings, my dad took me to my favorite diner where he told me what would happen next. He had found a job working as a mechanic in a small garage on 88th street, he would continue going to AA meetings to avoid social services taking me away again and we were moving to a part of the city where people who had no business there seldom went. Our new house was smaller, but after years of staying on people’s couches, we didn't need much more. Together we fixed it up as best as we could.My dad taught me how to use different tools and I learned quickly that as long as I stayed in our backyard I was pretty safe. And the one time I did dare to venture outside a few days before school started, I got a pleasant surprise. The Gallaghers lived next door and I was going to attend school with the two boys I had met when I stayed with the Baileys.

Over the next few years, Ian and I became best friends even though I preferred to read in the backyard while Ian wrecked havoc with his siblings. He was also the first person I came out to when I was fourteen and instead of getting punched like I had feared, Ian kissed me. Nothing more ever happened because we knew we worked better as friends and at the time, I felt nowhere near ready to be in a relationship. Ian didn't want a relationship either. He preferred to make out with the closeted jocks of the neighboring high school and just have fun, something that I as the hopeless romantic that I was, couldn't understand. We both knew that our environment wouldn't be kind if anyone found out about our preferences, so we made a pact to keep each other's secrets. Ian and I were about to start high school, and we both knew that the only way to make it out in one piece was to stay in the closet and pretend to like girls.

***

"Lip found some of my magazines today," Ian told me while we hid out in the Gallaghers' RV. I turned my head and waved the smoke wafting in my direction away. I loved to sing and all this second hand smoke I was constantly inhaling couldn't be good for my voice. I had tried smoking once or twice and while I could handle the occasional joint, cigarettes just weren't for me.

"Fuck! What did he say? Did he give you that bruise?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. Ian shook his head.

"No, he was cool, I guess. Got that chick he is tutoring to blow me under her dinner table because he thought I've never had a hummer before," Ian chuckled and I made a face.

I didn't care if my friends called me a prude. I didn't want to lose my virginity to just anybody. I wanted to fall in love and be in a committed relationship first. But unfortunately no one was out at our school – Ian and I included. It just wasn't safe for us soon to be sophomores.

"So how did you get that bruise?" I questioned Ian instead of asking what I really wanted to know. If it wasn't gross doing that with a girl. Because the answer would probably be something crude like a mouth being a mouth.

"Oh, her dad caught us and chased me and Lip around the house. We had to jump out of the window and I fell. Nothing to worry about though. I've gotten worse at ROTC training."

I rolled my eyes, but bit my tongue. Ian knew too well how I feltabout his after school activity.

"So did you tell Lip about Kash as well?" I asked, eager to change the subject. Another cloud of smoke wafted in my direction, but it smelled differently, and so I accepted the joint after a beat.

Ian was 'dating' the owner of a small grocery store in our neighborhood. I was the only one who knew about it, because Kash was Muslim, married and had two kids.

I inhaled deeply before I tried to blow the smoke out of the window. "I wish that stuff didn't smell. I need to change my clothes before my dad comes home. You know he doesn't like me doing this stuff," I grumbled after I exhaled another cloud of smoke.

It was another thing we often discussed. Who was better off – I, who's dad cared but was pretty strict about curfew, school, drinking and smoking or the Gallaghers who could do what they wanted but were pretty much raised by their older sister Fiona, who had just turned twenty-one.

Ian rolled his eyes this time before he replied. "No he doesn't know about him. It's none of his fucking business."

"I still don't get why you are dating him. He's married and has kids. It's never going to go anywhere," I just couldn't help it. I was a romantic at heart and this just didn't sound romantic.

"He's nice to me and he's amazing in bed. What more do you want," Ian smirked and I looked away.

"But what about love?" I asked after another drag of the joint.

Ian shruged. "Dunno. What I do know however is that you're never going to find what you're looking for in this part of town."

I stareed at the ceiling of the RV. Ian was right about that and it sucked.

***

"So who's the new guy?" I inquired, pointing at a man in his late twenties who was making out with Fiona in a corner My dad had left town for a convention and told me to stay with the Gallaghers while he was gone.

We both knew that it wasn't about me being in a better environment but not being home alone. My dad just worried about me, especially now that I finally had the courage to tell my dad I was gay. Lip finding out about Ian and not flipping had been the push I needed to be honest with my dad, and luckily my dad had positively surprised me.

"Oh, that's Steve. Fiona met him at a club downtown. Seems like a cool dude so far."

I eyed the guy critically. He was attractive but I had never been a fan of blatant PDA. The one time I had nearly walked in on Ian and Kash had been bad enough. Before I could voice my disapproval though, I nearly got hit in the head with a bottle of beer.

"Seriously Hummel, you catch like a girl," Lip exclaimed and I scowled while Debbie punched her older brother's shoulder.

I hated nothing more than being called a girl. It wasn't my fault my voice was higher than my peers' and caring about the way you look didn't make you a girl.

"No seriously, if you ever want to get some action around here, you at least have to act like a guy," Lip continued undeterred until I shoved him hard.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about," Lip, raised his hands in surrender and I rolled my eyes. I should have learned by now to not get offended by what Lip said.

"And I could get a guy if I want," I snarked, crossing my arms over my chest after making sure the younger Gallaghers weren't listening to our conversation.

"You wanna bet on it. I'm sure I could get a guy to blow me before you could."

I huffed because I didn't just want to find a guy to blow me, but I also needed to prove that I could get a guy before Lip could.

"So what do you propose we do? I can't just go up to a guy here. The guys in school would kill me if they found out I like guys."

Lip just smirked. "Don't worry about it. I get the fake IDs and Ian finds us a bar."

By the time we were shaking on it, I was already regretting agreeing to the bet, but what was done was done and I couldn't afford to show weakness in front of the older Gallagher brother.

***

We had to wait until the next time my dad left town before we could go clubbing together. Ian picked a bar in downtown Chicago and while I would deny it if asked, it was true that I spentnearly two hours finding the perfect outfit and another one fixing my hair. We met at the Gallaghers first to get some liquid courage into yours truly because I had never been to a bar apart from ‘The Alibi Room’, which didn’t really count because the bartender was the Gallagher’s neighbor and friend Kevin who normally didn’t care how old you were as long as you paid for your drinks.

When we arrived downtown shortly after ten the bar was still quite empty and those who were there seemed to have come with a partner. I sighed, preparing myself for a long night but only minutes later, Lip elbowed me and pointed at a guy across the room who looked as nervous as I felt.

“Look at preppy over there,” Lip yelled over the music. “Let me show you how it’s done so I can get out of here and get some pussy. Karen’s been like super horny lately.”

I shuddered because I didn’t understand what Lip saw in his ‘girlfriend’. She was a bitch who cared about no one but herself. I watched as Lip made his way across the bar and moved in close to the guy who couldn’t be much older than I was. Lips ‘preppy’ comment wasn’t far off either. The boy had gelled back black hair and was wearing a sweater vest, jeans that didn’t cover his ankles and didn’t wear socks with his shoes. He was also wearing a bowtie and looked like he had just stepped right out of the fifties. He was also very cute and all of a sudden I was hoping that Lip wouldn’t succeed. Slowly I crept closer to see how it was going and once I was only a few tables away I saw that Lip’s hand was on the boy’s thigh who looked incredibly flustered.

“Wow, um, that’s nice of you to say,” the boy stammered, “but um, I don’t know, I mean I-“

He was adorable and I felt the urge to step in and save him from Lip’s advances.

“He’s cute. You should go get him before Lip actually wins that fucking bet,” Ian suddenly yelled into my ear and I jumped.

I wanted to cut in badly but I had never flirted with a guy before and apart from the one kiss I had shared with Ian I had absolutely no experience. But the guy looked quite uncomfortable by now and so I decided to throw caution in the wind and take a chance. I quickly ordered two beers from the bartender before walking over to Lip and the boy.

“Sorry it took me so long,” I told the cute guy and handed him one of the beers. “Who’s your friend,” I added, nodding in Lip’s direction, who actually looked impressed.

“I was just asking where the restrooms are,” Lip lied easily before stepping aside, but not before giving me thumbs up.

“Thanks,” cutie told me once Lip was gone. “He was quite forward and I didn’t really know what to tell him. I’m Blaine by the way,” he tacked on and I shook the offered hand.

“Kurt,” I replied, but then I went silent because I had no idea what to say next.

“Do you come here a lot,” Blaine asked before he turned bright red. “S-s-sorry. That was such a cliché pick up line,” he stuttered and I laughed.

“It’s okay, but to answer your question. No, this is my first time here. My friends kind of forced me to come,” I explained before I decided to just tell the truth even if that meant scaring Blaine off before we even had a chance to get to know one another.

“Actually, the guy who just talked to you is the reason I’m here. I kind of never had a boyfriend before and he bet that he could get a guy before I could. He, um, he is straight,” I added quickly when Blaine looked confused.

“So are you talking to me because you want to win some bet?” he asked, sounding a bit hurt and I immediately shook my head.

“No,” I exclaimed. “You looked uncomfortable and I wanted to get you away from Lip. And to be honest, when I saw you I hoped he wouldn’t be successful,” I added, my cheeks turning bright red.

To my immense relief, Blaine didn’t laugh, but just smiled at me.

“So, um, what about you? Are you here a lot?” I asked then to get the conversation we were starting to have back on track.

“Uh, no. First time here as well. My friends brought me here because I turned sixteen a few days ago,” Blaine explained and pointed to a group of nicely dressed boys drinking champagne in a corner.

“Happy Birthday,” I beamed, and Blaine smiled bashfully. “It just go a lot better,” he admitted and I was certain my face couldn’t get any redder. After that, I was stuck again. How did people do that? Luckily, Blaine beat me to the punch.

“Hey, do you want to go somewhere more quiet. I’d really love to get to know you better but it’s so loud here,” he shouted because the DJ turned up the music that moment and I nodded.

I quickly texted Ian that I was leaving with Blaine before turning off my phone. Blaine lead us to a small bar a few blocks away that wasn’t picky about checking IDs either and we sat down at a table in the corner after ordering two more drinks.

“So tell me something about you,” Blaine told me once we both had a drink in front of us and I rubbed my sweaty palms against my jeans before I answered.

“Um, well, my name is Kurt. I’m fifteen but I’ll be sixteen soon. I like clothes and music,” I finally said, giving Blaine the basics.

“Awesome,” Blaine replied. “What was you favorite Vogue cover last year?”

I gaped at Blaine. “You read Vogue?” Blaine nodded.

“Yeah, my friends like to tease me about it, but I’ve had a subscription for two years now.”

“Your friends know that you like Vogue and instead of beating you up they take you to a gay bar?” I repeated, eyes wide.

“Um, yeah,” Blaine frowned. “I mean your friends took you to a gay bar as well.”

“Right, I mean Lip – the guy who talked to you – he is my best friend’s brother – who is also gay – so he’s cool, but no one else knows I’m gay. That wouldn’t go over well in school,” I confessed and Blaine’s frown deepened.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been going to private school my whole life and we have a zero tolerance bullying policy,” Blaine told me and I tried not to show how jealous I was. That could have been me, attending school in a better school district if my mom hadn’t died and my dad hadn’t drunk away all our savings. We had money again now because my dad worked hard and we didn’t spend money on things we didn’t need – apart from my secret wardrobe which I paid for myself with the money I made from working at ‘Kash and Carry’ with Ian. But that money was for a shop my dad hoped to own one day and even if it weren’t it probably wasn’t enough to cover tuition at a private school.

“I’m out and proud,” Blaine continued, “but if it isn’t save for you to be out at school then your safety comes first.”

“So you don’t think I’m a coward for staying in the closet?” I asked, because for some reason I valued Blaine’s opinion. Luckily the other boy shook his head.

“No!” he exclaimed loudly, causing a few heads to turn in their direction. “No,” he continued more quietly. “I know we just met, but I couldn’t stand it if you got hurt.”

I smiled bashfully and when Blaine briefly covered my hand with his own, I didn’t pull away. We talked for hours afterward – about favorite movies, musicians and songs – and after we got kicked out of the bar, we moved on to an after hour one. Dawn was breaking when we stumbled into Millennium Park, our clasped hands swinging between us. Apart from a lone jogger no one was around this early and Blaine pulled me under the Cloud Gate sculpture where he took silly pictures of us with his phone. At some point I wondered briefly how Blaine could still be out with me, but I figured one of his friends was covering for him so I didn’t mention it because I didn’t want the night to end. Hanging out with Blaine was so much fun and I still couldn’t believe the other boy actually seemed to like me.

“Have you ever kissed a boy?” Blaine suddenly asked out of the blue a while later and I nodded.

“Once. You?”

“I briefly had a boyfriend at the beginning of the school year but he quickly turned out to be a total douche when I didn’t want to do more than kiss him,” Blaine confessed.

I nodded, glad I met someone else who wouldn’t make fun of me for not wanting to have sex immediately after meeting someone.

“Why do you ask?” I dared to ask and when I saw that Blaine wet his lips I blushed again.

“I was just wondering if it would be okay if I kissed you,” Blaine finally confessed, his face red too and I sucked in a deep breath before I nodded shyly.

We both leaned in at the same time, our noses bumping together, causing us to giggle. To avoid another accident, Blaine cupped my jaw before he leaned in again and pressed his slightly chapped lips against mine. I gasped because while the kiss with Ian hadn’t been bad, this was so much better. Our lips moved against each other slowly until I dared to open my mouth a bit and lightly sucked on Blaine’s lower lip. In response, Blaine’s tongue snaked into my mouth, stroking mine before briefly sucking it. It was the most erotic thing I had ever experienced and though it was ‘just a kiss’ I felt my knees weaken.

“Wow,” I stammered once we separated and Blaine rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Was that okay?” he asked, a blush staining his cheeks and I nodded shyly. I was about to lean in again when Blaine’s phone’s alarm went off.

“Shit,” he cursed. “I promised my mom I’d be back in time for breakfast,” he explained and I turned my phone back on for the first time to check what time it was myself. Somehow it was already half past seven and more and more people had appeared in the park without me noticing.

“Would you like to get some coffee before I have to go home?” Blaine invited me and I immediately agreed.

We exchanged numbers over coffee and before Blaine left, he asked if he could see me again. Naturally I agreed and Blaine promised to text me later so we could make plans.We shared another kiss under the L stop before Blaine hailed a cab and I climbed the stairs to catch my train. After I finally reached my stop, I went home to my own house immediately, because I needed some sleep before I could deal with the teasing I was sure would come. I had only skimmed Ian’s text reply but I was certain I was in for a lot of it.

***

“So did you finally get laid?” Lip ambushed me the moment I walked through the Gallagher’s front door to join them for a late breakfast. I unsuccessfully tried to ignore the older Gallagher, certain that my face had turned fire engine red.

“Still a blushing virgin,” Lip observed when I didn’t reply, and I shoved him aside.

“Shut up,” I snapped, before snatching up a piece of toast from the plate Fiona was holding in her hand.

“Can you help Debbie with day care today? I have a job interview before work,” Fiona asked me while I was chewing my toast. Blaine and I hadn’t had time for breakfast so I was starving.

“I can stay till six. I have the late shift,” I replied, though I’d rather just go back to sleep for a few more hours until my dad came back from Cleveland.

Just then my phone vibrated in my pocket and when I pulled it out I saw that it was a text from Blaine. Before I could read the message though, Ian grabbed my phone and started to read the message out loud.

“Hey Kurt. It’s me, Blaine. I had a great time last night. Do you want to meet for coffee again Monday afternoon? Same place?”

I rolled my eyes before I wrestled my phone out of Ian’s grip. Then I quickly typed out a text letting Blaine know I had to work Monday evening and asked to meet Tuesday night instead.

Fortunately, before the Gallaghers could start teasing me, Steve, Fiona’s newest boyfriend walked into the kitchen. Through the window, I could see that he was driving an expensive car, one my dad would love to work on. How someone who could afford a car like that had ended up in their neighborhood, I didn’t know, but as long as he treated Fiona right, I had no problem with Steve.

After taking a sip of coffee, my phone vibrated again and I made sure that Ian and Lip weren’t watching before I read the message.

“Can’t do Tu, We and Tr night. My mom is making me accompany her to some fundraisers. Can do lunch though.”

I raised an eyebrow. I did assume that Blaine came from money because he was attending private school, but the message sounded like his parents were seriously loaded. If Blaine found out where I lived, he probably wouldn’t be so eager to see me again, I thought dejectedly.

“Have to work during the day. How about Friday night?” I texted back, feeling sad because it didn’t sound like I would be able to see Blaine again any time soon.

“Sounds perfect,” Blaine promptly replied and I beamed because I would be going on my first date in under a week. My smile quickly turned into a scowl though when I got hit in the face by one of Liam’s toys.

Liam, the youngest Gallagher, had been dropped off by his mom who had him after a one-night stand with an unknown man. He was only thirteen months old and while I loved the little guy, I didn't appreciate having toys thrown at me. Nevertheless, I picked up the toy and handed it back to Liam, before I joined Debbie in the backyard and helped her get everything ready for her daycare kids.

Debbie was only ten, but most people in the neighborhood had no qualms about dropping their kids off at Debbie’s daycare, which always surprised me. But Debbie was like I'd been at that age. She knew how to take care of herself and others because like my dad at the time, hers was never around and when he was he was either drunk or stoned. At least the younger Gallaghers had Fiona, who had dropped out of high school to take care of them and took every odd job available to make ends meet. It always reminded me how grateful I was that my dad had turned his life around and hadn’t fallen off the wagon once since my brief stint in foster care.

***

The rest of the week passed way too slowly in my opinion. Blaine and I were texting all the time when I wasn’t working or helping Debbie with the kids. The other boy kept entertaining me with stories of the crazy people he came across during the fundraisers and charity auctions his mother dragged him to, which in return, I shared with Ian and whoever else was in the Gallagher living room at the time.

“Got yourself a rich boyfriend?” Fiona remarked with a frown when she heard me recounting Blaine’s latest story.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I denied, a light blush staining my cheeks. Hopefully soon though, my mind added.

“Well, enjoy it while it lasts. Guys like that, they stick around long enough to get what they want, so they can go back to their rich friends and tell them all about being daring and venturing out south.”

“Trouble in paradise already?” Lip teased as he dropped down next to me on the couch and passed around a few cans of beer.

I declined because I was having dinner with my dad later and didn’t want to smell like alcohol when I went home.

“Steve’s great – so far. But I’ve been with guys like him before. Be careful,” Fiona told me and I nodded, though I couldn't imagine Blaine being anything but sweet.

My shift the next day passed in a blur and even the douche bags from school who always harassed me when I was working couldn’t dampen my spirits. Tonight, I was going on my first date.

As soon as Ian arrived to take over, I clocked out and rushed to get my backpack. On my way out, I successfully dodged Ian who tried to shove a pack of condoms at me.

“It’s only our first date,” I reminded him and dashed out of the door before Ian could reply.

My dad was still at work when I let myself into the house and rushed up to my bedroom, taking two steps at a time in my hurry. I still had a few hours till I was meeting Blaine in front of Buckingham Fountain and usually didn’t take long to get ready to go out, but today I wanted to look my best. After a long shower, I styled my hair as best as I could with the products I possessed, before I opened my closet to pick out an outfit.

Behind my regular clothes, buried in the back, were a few items I had only ever worn inside the house before. I’d dressed up when we’d gone to the gay bar, but my look had still been rather conservative; meant to blend in and not stick out like a sore thumb. But Blaine had admitted to reading ‘Vogue’, so he may appreciate my secret style. The clothes in the back of my closet had come from second hand shops I sometimes visited and would probably get me beat up, the moment I stepped outside the house wearing them. That’s why I worked hard to get good grades. So I could go to a decent college where people wouldn’t care about what I wore.

After selecting the tightest pair of black jeans I owned and putting them into my backpack, I added a silver scarf, light blue button down shirt with short sleeves and a silver vest to wear on top of it. After a bit of deliberation, I also added a pin in the form of scissors. I put my shirt on underneath a non-descript hoody because I didn’t want it to get wrinkled, but put the rest of the outfit into my backpack as well. My white, lace-up Doc Martins were hidden under loose blue jeans and once I was sure I had everything I needed, I went downstairs to our old computer.

As always, it took forever to boot up but once it was up and running, I quickly opened Google Maps to look for a place where I could change clothes before meeting Blaine. In the end, I decided to just swing by Union Station so I could store my backpack as well. The last thing I needed was Blaine finding out about the content and asking questions I didn’t want to answer on a first date.

Blaine was already waiting for me, leaning against the edge of the fountain, not getting wet miraculously.But a quick look at my phone told me that I wasn’t late. We were both ten minutes early, in fact. Blaine’s eyes rove over me once he saw me approaching, and when I caught him staring, Blaine blushed.

“You look really nice,” he stammered and I smiled shyly.

“You really think so?” Blaine nodded eagerly.

“Well, you look nice too,” I assured Blaine, after accepting a kiss on the cheek and taking in Blaine’s outfit.

The other boy was wearing white khaki shorts, light brown loafers and a dark blue polo shirt. His yellow Ray Bans were perched on top of his head. I thought he looked like he had just stepped off a yacht. Blaine blushed lightly after a mumbled ‘thank you’.

“I had to wear a uniform at school until last year, so my mom buys most of my regular clothes,” he admitted a moment later.

“Your mom has good taste then,” I teased.

“What?” Blaine frowned.

“Nothing,” I giggled. “She didn’t lay the clothes out for you though, right?” I finally managed to add after I stopped laughing and Blaine pouted.

“She likes to make suggestions,” he muttered and I decided to change the subject.

“So where are we going?” I asked and my heart skipped a beat when Blaine took my hand and laced our fingers together.

“I hope you don’t think it’s stupid,” Blaine started and I was definitely curious now. “But there is this little restaurant by the zoo, so I thought we could walk through the zoo first and get to know each other a little bit better.”

I hadn’t been back to Lincoln Park Zoo since my mom had passed but I had only happy memories of the place. So I smiled at Blaine and nodded once.

“Lead the way.”

Blaine didn’t let go of my hand as we started walking, but I wasn’t worried about running into someone I knew. The homophobic jerks I went to school with rarely ventured downtown, fortunately. When I saw that Blaine was leading us toward Lake Shore Drive instead of Congress Parkway toward the Loop, I pulled on Blaine’s hand.

“The L’s the other way,” I reminded my date, who chuckled.

“I know,” Blaine replied and pulled me further along until we reached the road and Blaine raised his other hand to hail a cab.

“I didn’t bring that much money,” I blurted out without thinking and when Blaine saw my panicked expression, he rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand soothingly.

“I asked you out so I’m paying. You can pick and pay the next time,” Blaine assured me and the way Blaine seemed to be so sure that there was going to be a second date, calmed me immediately.

“Okay,” I conceded, before following Blaine into the backseat of the cab that had just stopped in front of us.

“Lincoln Park Zoo, please,” Blaine instructed the driver, who took one look at our still clasped hands and smiled at us. He was about my dad’s age and had kind looking eyes.

“You remind me of my son when he was your age,” he told us while we were waiting at the red light. “He’s about to get married in Boston,” the driver added with a proud smile. “Too bad they couldn’t have the wedding here in Chicago though.”

The light switched to green and the driver turned around and performed a probably illegal U-turn. At the next red light, he turned back again.

“But maybe when you are old enough to get married, you’ll be able to do it here.”

Iblushed at the implication, but before I could set the record straight, Blaine piped up.

“That would be amazing.”

I didn’t know if Blaine meant getting married to some still faceless guy in Chicago or – don’t even think about it. Either way, I shared the sentiment. It would be amazing if I could get married in my hometown one day. Blaine handed the driver a generous tip after he dropped us off in front of the entrance to the zoo and I was glad the zoo didn’t charge an admission fee because I didn’t want Blaine to spend even more money on me. It was’t too late yet and plenty of families were still walking around, pointing out animals to their children so I reluctantly let go of Blaine’s hand, but he surprised me and laced our fingers back together.

“We’ll only ever get the future that man talked about if we show people there’s nothing wrong with us and that we aren’t ashamed of who we are,” Blaine whispered. “Unless this is making you uncomfortable.”

I thought about it for a moment before I shook my head and tightened my grip on Blaine’s hand. After all, it was even less likely to run into someone I knew around here.

“It’s just that I’m so used to having to pretend I’m straight that it’s hard sometimes to act differently when I’m away from home,” I explained, hoping Blaine didn’t think I was a coward for staying in the closet. He had told me before to do what I had to do to stay safe, so I was hoping that Blaine hadn’t changed his mind, now that he knew what a mess I was

“I guess you must be really happy to be on break right now,” Blaine said after a moment of silence. I gave him a curious look. “I mean, after what you told me about school.”

I nodded. I still ran into people from school a lot, but at least I didn't have to spend half the day with them every day at the moment.

“But seriously. What kind of school do you go to? I have some friends who go to public school and none have ever told me stuff like you did.”

I froze. I could either invent an inner city school and hope that Blaine will let it go or tell him the truth. I thought about Fiona’s words. It was probably best to find out now if Blaine was just a rich snob before I really fell for him.

“Trust me. If there was a safe school for me in the south side, my dad would have transferred me there long ago,” I forced out, keeping a close eye on Blaine’s face.

My date just nodded though.

“That sucks. No one should feel unsafe at their school regardless of where they live,” he stated and I released a breath I hadn’t been aware I was holding.

“So you don’t mind that I’m poor?” I asks to make sure.

Blaine frowned before he shook his head.

“Of course not. Yeah, it’s nice to have money, but it’s not everything. And I kind of assumed you weren’t well off when you said you could never afford my school.”

We had reached another pavilion and after making sure was empty, I pulled Blaine inside and kissed him hard on the lips. When the door opened behind us, we sprang apart quickly though and Blaine pulled me back outside toward a park bench.

“You were really worried about that weren’t you?” Blaine asks once we were seated.

Reluctantly I nodded. “I’m sorry but we don’t know each other that well yet and my friends… I’m sorry.”

Blaine took both of my hands and shifted so we were facing one another.

“So what do you want to know about me?” he asked.

“Um, I don’t know. Tell me about your family. Where do you live? Do you have siblings? Do you have a boat?” I rattled off nervously and Blaine chuckled.

“You are adorable when you’re nervous. So yes, my dad has a boat, but I’m not allowed to be on it right now, after my friends decided to use it for a party. My family lives on Astor Street in the Gold Coast District. My mom is a housewife. For her that means brunches with her friends, fundraisers and charity galas. My brother and I were raised by nannies until we were old enough to raise ourselves. My brother Jimmy is quite a bit older than me and is in his second year of med school in Michigan, so I don’t see him a lot. And my dad is the CEO of a company that produces packaging. He’s never really home and when I was younger I once caught him screwing his secretary – his male secretary.”

“Your dad is gay?” I gasped. This piece of information didn’t really fit with the rest of Blaine’s story. I had expected him to live in an affluent neighborhood, but this was a surprise.

“Who knows,” Blaine shrugged. “I guess he and my mom have some sort of arrangement. She gets the lifestyle she wants and he can do whoever he wants.”

“That’s kind of sad, “ I observed, but Blaine shrugged again.

“I’m sure they love me, but they both live in their own worlds. But enough about me – tell me about your family.”

For the second time today, I froze. Because Blaine’s family was’t the only one with secrets. And while Blaine didn’t seem to have a problem sharing his father’s, I couldn’t do the same to my dad. But there were some things I could tell Blaine without telling him the whole story.

“I live with my dad,” I decided to start.with“He is a mechanic and saving up for his own shop.”

“That’s unusual,” Blaine remarked. I frowned.

“That my dad is a mechanic?”

“What? No!” Blaine exclaimed. “I meant that you live with your dad. I thought that it was usually the mothers that got custody after a divorce. Or where you old enough to decide for yourself?”

“My parents aren’t divorced,” I explained with a sigh. “My mom died when I was eight.”

Blaine’s face fell “Oh Kurt. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay,” I quickly assured him. “I mean, yes, I still miss her a lot, but it’s been just me and my dad for half my life now.”

A treacherous tear still trickled down my face and I leaned into Blaine’s touch when he wiped it away.

“I really suck at this,” Blaine mumbled and I raised an eyebrow in question.

“This is only our first date and I’ve already made you cry,” Blaine elaborated.

“It’s not your fault I come with baggage,” I muttered before I sat up. “So, no more sad stuff tonight. Let’s just visit the animals and go eat afterward,” I suggested and pulled Blaine up.

My date took my hand again and together we began to explore the zoo. No more tears were shed during the rest of the night and I gorged himself on the delicious cheesecake we have for desert.

“So where to?” Blaine asked, once we were sitting in another taxi.

“Um,” I deliberated for a moment. “Union Station. I left some stuff there,” I admitted.

Blaine looked at me questioningly. I sighed because I was about to tell Blaine yet another thing I had wanted to keep a secret for now.

“I changed clothes there. What I’m wearing right now – I can’t wear it in my neighborhood. I’d get my ass kicked.”

Blaine looked angry for a moment before his features soften.

“I could stop by my place and get my car to give you a lift,” Blaine offered but I immediately shook my head.

It was one thing to tell Blaine where I lived, but to actually show him – no. It wouldn’t help quell the rumors about me if I got dropped off by a guy with what I assumed was a fancy car.

“That’s nice of you to offer, but my dad will be home by now and I haven’t told him that I’m out on a date,” I replied when Blaine looks a bit hurt after my strong reaction.

“Does he know…? Blaine trailed off, but I knows what he was asking.

“Yeah, he does and he’s been great about it. But I want to tell him that I’m dating before he meets you.”

Realizing what I’d just said, I slapped my hand over my mouth, my cheeks turning bright red. Blaine just gave me a soft smile though.

“Do you want to be my boyfriend, Kurt?” Blaine asked and the butterflies in my stomach started to tango.

Shyly I nodded before I wrapped my arms around Blaine’s shoulders and pressed our lips together. Blaine responded immediately by sucking on my bottom lip until I opened my mouth and let Blaine’s tongue in. We jumped apart though, when the cab driver cleared his throat, probably not for the first time.

“You made up your mind about where you wanna go? Meter’s running.”

I turned an even deeper shade of pink and Blaine rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Sorry,” he mumbled before he added, “Union Station, please.”

We kept our lips to ourselves for the duration of the drive, both a bit embarrassed about nearly making out in the back of a taxi. Blaine accompanied me to my storage locker and when it becomes clear that my new boyfriend had every intention of walking me to the next L stop, I quickly took off my vest and put my hoody back on. There was nothing I could do about the pants for now, but hopefully no one would notice how tight they were in the dark on my walk home.

We kissed again below the platform until my lips tingled and Blaine’s had turned red.

“I’ll call you,” Blaine promised before he flagged down another cab, and I climbed the stairs.

I kept smiling the whole ride home and ended up nearly skipping to my house. To my relief no one I knew was out on the streets and so I made it back home without any incidents.

‘You look happy,” my dad remarked as I passed him on the way to the kitchen and I nearly jumped a foot into the air. With my head in the clouds, I hadn’t even noticed that my dad was sitting in his favorite armchair in the living room. “I hope it’s not because you’re doing drugs with the Gallaghers,” he added in a serious tone.

“Of course not!” I immediately protested. I smoked weed from time to time, but that didn’t really count as doing drugs and I would be surprised if my dad didn’t at least suspect it. Try as I might to avoid it, my clothes always smelled when I smoked a joint with Ian.

“I had a date,” I added when my dad kept staring at him.

‘With a guy?” my dad asks.

“Of course with a guy,” I exclaimed. “Did you forget the whole fake girlfriend debacle?”

In order to blend in even more, I had started hanging out with a girl who seemed nice enough. It hadn’t ended well. In fact, it had ended with a brick through my dad’s windshield after I had told her that were weren’t really dating.

“I’m not sure I like that, Kurt,” my dad started and my heart clenched painfully.

“I thought you were okay with me being gay,” I said in a small voice. Immediately, strong arms pulled me against my father’s broad chest.

“And I meant it, Kurt. It’s just… I know the guys running around this neighborhood. And you deserve better. You deserve someone who won’t be afraid to really be with you. Not some guy who’d bully you at school and try to get with you afterward.”

I blushed but I understood what my dad was trying to say.

“But he’s not from around here,” I explained after my dad released me. “And he held my hand the entire time we were out together.”

“Then I’m happy for you. Tell me about him.”

And so I did. I told my dad everything I knew about Blaine, our date and how Blaine had asked me to be his boyfriend – minus the kissing of course.

“So where did you meet this boy?” my dad inquired once I had finished gushing about Blaine.

Shit. I couldn’t tell my dad the truth, because it would mean telling him about the fake ID and the gay bar.

“You know the music store I like to go to?” My dad nodded but I was sure he had no idea what I was talking about. “We reached for the same copy of ‘Wicked’ and started talking,” I quickly invented.

“You know I need to meet this boy if you want to continue running around with him. The only reason you don’t have a real curfew right now is because you are usually just next door. But I can’t let you be out all night with a boy I haven’t even met yet.”

“It’s not even midnight,” I protested.

“But I didn’t know you were out or that you went downtown,” my dad responded sternly and I sighed.

“I tell Blaine you want to meet him, but can we meet somewhere else?”

My dad gave me a sad smile and I hated it.

“I’m not ashamed,” I lied quickly. Because the truth was that I was ashamed – at least when I compared my life to Blaine’s. I would never tell my dad though, because I knew he was doing the best he could to make up for his past mistakes.

“I love our house,” I continued, and it least that was true. “But this neighborhood … I don’t want Blaine to come here. He is so out and proud and I don’t want anyone bothering him.”

“Fine,” my dad conceded. “As long as I get to meet him.”

I hugged my dad briefly before I got a class of water to take upstairs to my room. Blaine had texted while Italked to my dad and I couldn’t wait to read it and maybe talk to him a bit more before bed.

***

“Are you serious? You can’t go out with him again until your dad met him?” Ian exclaimed.

I nodded dejectedly. I loved that my dad cared about me, but sometimes I envied the older Gallagher boys’ freedom. When Ian handed me his joint, I took a deep drag before exhaling slowly.

“It’s not so bad though,” Ian continued.

“Explain,” I demanded.

“At least your dad isn’t like Frank.”

I nodded. My dad had been an alcoholic as well, but even when he had still been drinking, he had never been a violent drunk. My dad had become even more depressed and stopped caring about everything in his life though – including his son.

“But what if he doesn’t like Blaine?”

“You do what teenagers do – sneak around,” Ian advised.“ “Don’t see what he could have against preppy though.”

I glared at my best friend. “And you wonder why I don’t want to introduce him to my friends,” I muttered.

“You think he’s going to introduce you to his?” Ian challenged. I shrugged.

“We’ve only known each other for a week. I’m sure I’ll meet his friends at some point. But that’s not important right now. What do I do about my dad and Blaine?”

“Take him to a steak house. He’ll be distracted by the food you don’t usually let him have,” Ian suggested.

I had to agree that it was a good idea. And if it guarantees that I still had a boyfriend after dinner was over, I would let my dad eat unhealthy food for once. In the end, I decided to arrange a meeting at Bubba Gump on Navy Pier a few days later. Blaine, for once, didn’t have to follow his mother around and my dad got off work early, so he could meet my boyfriend. I had decided on the restaurant because it was always filled with families and tourists from all over the world who would ensure that my dad stayed at least civil and wouldn't threaten Blaine with a non-existent shotgun.

My boyfriend was already waiting for us when I arrived with my dad in tow and when Blaine saw my dad he paled. My dad was wearing his usual get up – flannel shirt, trucker hat, loose jeans and heavy work boots – and was towering over Blaine. My boyfriend nervously approached me and quickly pecked me on the cheek before he stuck out his hand for my dad to shake.

“Blaine Anderson, sir. It’s nice to meet you,” he introduces himself.

My dad took Blaine’s hand and squeezed it hard until I lightly punches my dad’s shoulder.

“Dad,” I hissed. “Be nice.” My dad let go of Blaine’s hand.

“None of this sir crap, kid. Burt is fine,” he told Blaine, who looked like a fish out of water.

Blaine had confessed that his mom had enrolled him in etiquette classes when he was younger and so I assumed that Blaine had never called a grown up anything but sir or ma’am before.

“Yes sir, I mean, yes Burt, sir,” Blaine squeaked and I decided it’s time to save my boyfriend from further embarrassment.

“Let’s go inside. I’m starving.”

Inside the restaurant, we were led to a corner booth and I squeezed in next to Blaine opposite my dad so I could hold my boyfriend’s hand during dinner.

“Remember dad. This is a one-time offer. Tomorrow you have to go back on your diet.” I glared at my dad until he agreed.

I knew that my dad didn’t like the food I made him eat, but his doctor had been concerned about his cholesterol levels during his last check up a few months ago. I had nearly lost my dad once and I needed him to be around for many more years.

We all perused our menus while waiting for a server, but my dad put his down after only a moment.

“Pick whatever you want, kid,” my dad told my boyfriend.

“Oh, I can pay-“ Blaine started to protest but my dad cuts him off.

“My treat, Blaine.” His tone of voice made it clear that he didn’t want to argue about it and Blaine bobbed his head.

“And don’t go for the cheapest thing on the menu either just because Kurt told you some stuff about us,” my dad added.

Blaine nodded again, though I could tell he had considered it. Just then a waiter appeared next to our table.

“Welcome to Bubba Gump. I’m Ben and I’ll be your waiter this evening. Have you decided yet?”

I ordered a diet coke, Blaine a coke and my dad mineral water after I shot him a pointed look. He didn’t need to add some sugary drink to his meal.

“And for food, I’d like the Angus Top Sirloin, well done,” my dad orders and I rolled my eyes. Of course my dad had to order a steak when he could have ordered the much healthier fish.

“Can I get the Shrimp and Veggie Skewers, please,” I ordered next before I decides to add a garden salad, so my dad would eat something healthy as well.

“Blaine?” my dad asked.

“Ah, the Shrimp New Orleans, please,” my boyfriend told the waiter.

Once Ben had moved on to the next table, my dad immediately started interrogating Blaine to my chagrin.

“Kurt tells me you go to private school. Get good grades?” he asked and I glared at him.

“Well, it’s not a 4.0,” Blaine cleared his throat, “but I do well in school. Calculus just isn’t my friend unfortunately.”

“If you ever need help with that, Kurt’s friend Philipp is incredibly smart. Too bad that that boy doesn’t get to go to a better school.”

“Dad,” I hissed again, because I’d hoped we wouldn’t talk about my school or our neighborhood.

“What? You know how I feel about sending you to that shitty school,” my dad replied before he turned to Blaine.

“Kurt’s top of his class and takes a crazy amount of APs. God knows who he got it from. Certainly not me.”

I turned a dark shade of pink though it warmed my heart that my dad was so proud of me. When I looked over to my boyfriend, Blaine appeared to be in deep thought. I gently squeezed the hand I was holding under the table until I got Blaine’s attention.

“What are you thinking?”

“Just how unfair it is that you are stuck somewhere where people don’t appreciate how special you are,” Blaine replied.

When I looked over to my dad again, who’d been watching our exchange, a smile was on my dad’s face. Apparently it hadn’t taken long for Blaine to win over my dad.

“So Blaine – White Sox or Cubs? And choose wisely,” my dad addressed Blaine, who looked relieved that the interrogation appeared to be over.

“White Sox,” my boyfriend replied and my dad nods approvingly. “But to be quite honest, I prefer going to a Bears or Bulls game. My dad has season tickets for the Bears if you ever want to go,” Blaine continued and I was certain my dad just fell in love.

“Well, maybe we can even get Kurt to join,” my dad joked. I pouted.

Sports were boring – simple as that. But if Blaine ever offered to take me to a play or to a Second City performance I’d agree in a heartbeat.

Now that the ice was broken, we just talked about whatever crossed our minds. When Blaine excused himself to the restroom, my dad leans in closer.

“I like him. He’s a keeper.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I was worried you’d show up with some snobby brat, but Blaine seems to be a good guy.”

Before I could get up and hug my dad, our food arrived and once Blaine returned, we all dug in. After they were done eating and my dad had taken care of the bill, we strolled down Navy Pier for a bit until my dad excused himself.

“You kids go ahead and have some fun. And, remember, I want you home by midnight,” my dad told me.

I nodded. We had agreed on a weekday curfew of midnight during the summer because I usually worked in the morning and a weekend curfew of 2 am if I went Downtown because my dad trusted me not to do anything stupid.

“I could give Kurt a ride home,” Blaine offered and I shared a look with my dad.

“Look kid, I appreciate the offer, but Kurt told me you only just got your license. I don’t feel comfortable with Kurt in your car so late at night. And there are some hooligans in our street who think it’s cool to vandalize a nice car. Maybe another time when you’ve got a bit more driving experience.”

When Blaine wasn’t looking, I gave my dad thumbs up, but my dad’s expression remained serious, indicating he meant what he had said and wasn’t just humoring me.

“If you want to take him for a drive during the day, by all means but I feel better knowing my kid isn’t in your car at night,” my dad continued and Blaine nodded again.

“And lastly, don’t let Kurt drive your car until he gets his own license. He’s a good driver and I don’t care if he mucks around with the piece of garbage they drive next door, but my insurance won’t cover it if he damages yours before he’s old enough to legally drive. So don’t ask him,” my dad looked at me and I nodded reluctantly as well. It probably was for the best that my dad didn’t know that Steve let us drive his fancy cars all the time.

“And with that being said, have fun and I’ll see you later.”

Once my dad was gone, I turns to Blaine.

“I turn sixteen at the end of the summer. Can I drive your car when I get my license?”

Blaine shrugged. “Sure but it’s nothing special. Just this X1 my brother got me for my birthday. I don’t even think it was new. But if you ask nicely, I’ll let you drive my dad’s Jag,” my boyfriend added with a wink and I blushes. Who cared that Blaine referred to a BMW as just a X1 when he could do other things right now.

“Let’s go somewhere with less people,” I suggested and Blaine immediately agreed.

After all, we hadn’t seen each other for three days and missed kissing.

***

“And you are sure they won’t mind if I tag along?” I asked a week and a half later, my phone wedged between my head and shoulder while I was looking through my closet for something to wear. I’d gone through so many of my secret outfits lately, that I was running out of options.

“Kurt, they are my friends. They pretty much demanded to meet the guy I ditched them for when they took me out for my birthday,” Blaine replied, sounding like he was holding back a laugh.

“Alright. But I have nothing to wear,” I complained At least nothing that didn’t scream cheap designer knock-off.

“Kurt, my friends won’t care about what you wear. We’re just going to hang out on David’s parent’s boat to celebrate them going away for two weeks.”

“Without their son?” I asked in disbelief.

I couldn’t imagine my dad going on vacation without me. Granted a vacation for us only meant going camping a bit further up north. Blaine chuckled again.

“Oh, our parents take us places when it’s for appearances sake, but otherwise they usually just hand us their credit cards and let us fly off on our own or with friends,” my boyfriend explained.

It sounds like a dream come true for a teenager, but it was also a bit sad that Blaine’s parents didn’t care enough to take him on family vacations.

“Um, okay,” I said, not sure what else I was supposed to say. “Pick me up from Roosevelt at seven?” Blaine replied in the affirmative before he lets me go to finish getting dressed. Two and a half hours later we pull into Monroe Harbor.

“Is yours here as well?” I asked as I looked over the rows of yachts idling in the water.

Blaine shook his head. “Ours is a bit further up north, but my dad is taking her out this weekend any way.”

We approached a smaller yacht that still looked like it must have cost a fortune. A group of teenage boys and a few teenage girls were already hanging out on the deck when Blaine helps me climb aboard. A dark skinned boy immediately greeted us.

“I’m David, one of Blaine’s best friends from school and your captain tonight.”

“You’re going to take it out?” I gasps, turning a bit pale. I’d never been on a boat before so I hoped I wouldn't get sick or worse, fall into the lake. After all, I wasn’t the strongest swimmer either.

“Of course,” another boy joined them. “We’re all underage so we can’t just party where everyone can see us.”

“That’s Wes,” Blaine whispered in my ear. “He goes to school with me as well.”

We climbed another set of stairs until we reached the deck where the other teens were hanging out in the still strong sun. Blaine stepped forward, pulling me along with him.

“Hey everyone,” he called out. “This is my boyfriend Kurt.”

Suddenly all eyes were on me and I swallowed nervously, my mouth dry all of a sudden. Blaine started pointing out people for me.

“On your left – that’s Cara – Wes’ girlfriend and next to her is Tessa, David’s girlfriend.”

The two girls waved and smile at me.

“Then there are my friends Nick and Jeff – I already told you about them – they are the ones who go to public school as well. Jeff’s boyfriend Mark, and Nick’s girlfriend Sarah, and – what the hell are you doing here?” Blaine trailed off and froze.

A slimy looking guy decked out from head to toe in designer wear was smirking at them.

“Surprise. Just came back from Paris in time for summer break,” the stranger announced.

“And invited yourself to my party,” David muttered.

“Now, now, David. You know that your daddy needs my daddy’s approval if he wants to remain DA, so play nice,” slime face replied and I could feel Blaine tense even more next to me.

“I’m Sebastian Smythe,” the stranger introduced himself. “And you must be Blaine’s charity case.”

I wishes the earth would swallow me whole and turned bright pink before I swiveled around to face my boyfriend.

“Did you tell them…?” I hissed.

Before Blaine could reply, meerkat face butt in again.

“He didn’t have to say anything. Just one look at you told me everything I needed to know.”

I tucked on the hem of my shirt before I squared my shoulders and clenched my fists. If I were back home, I’d probably punch the jerk, but I didn’t want Blaine’s friends to think even worse of me. Words would have to do.

“And one look at you tells me you are jealous. Did Blaine reject you?” I taunted instead, because I had noticed Sebastian’s eyes rove over Blaine’s body.

I could tell that I had hit the nail on the head, but then the arrogant smirk was back in place.

“Jealous of you? I could find better dressed twinks on Craigslist,” he retorted but I was not one to be out-witted.

“Well if Craigslist is your standard, no wonder a guy like Blaine wants nothing to do with you,” I goaded.

“I’m not interested in Anderson,” the jerk said through gritted teeth. Someone sniggered next to me – Jeff, if I remembered correctly.

“I don’t even go to your school and even I heard how often you tried to get into his pants unsuccessfully. Wasn’t it you trying to blackmail Blaine into sleeping with him that earned you that little stint at boarding school someplace in France no one has ever heard of. Paris my ass.”

Sebastian’s arrogant smirk morphed into anger.

“No one asked you, public school,” he sneered, but Jeff just laughed.

“Our parents are in the same country club. They just thought it would be better for me and my sister if we went to a regular high school,” he replied coolly.

Sensing that no one wanted him on board, Sebastian shrugged.

“Whatever, I’m out of here. This party sucks any way.”

The moment Sebastian was off the yacht, David started maneuvering it out onto the open water. In the meantime, I found myself the center of attention again.

“That was fucking awesome,” one of the girls exclaimed.

“I knew we’d like the guy Blaine ended up dating,” Nick added and I visibly relaxed.

“I’m sorry I didn’t help you,” Blaine apologized when we had a moment alone. “I just really didn’t expect to see him again. What he did last summer bordered on sexual harassment and in the end I had to tell my dad about it. I had no choice but to out him because Sebastian just wouldn’t listen,” Blaine whispered, still looking shocked.

I wrapped my arms around my boyfriend and stroked his back in a soothing manner.

“I understand,” I whispered back. “And you did the right thing. Your safety comes before his privacy.”

“Thank you.”

We shared a sweet but chaste kiss before returning to Blaine’s friends. Thankfully the rest of the group seemed to like me immediately and no one made any derogatory comments about my clothes or non-private school status. I talked to Nick and Jeff for a bit who were lucky and attended a great school in their district. When they asked about my own high school, I told them the sugarcoated version, because I didn’t want anyone’s pity. The two boys didn’t look like they believed me, however.

“I have a cousin who attends a public high school in Ohio and I really hope yours isn’t as bad as hers. They throw slushies in people’s faces there,” Nick recounted with a shudder.

For once, I was glad my school had no money for stuff like a slushie machine.

“It’s only for three more years. I’ll survive,” I assured them.

Blaine returned that moment with two fresh drinks and wraps his arms around my waist from behind.

“What are you talking about?”

“Just comparing notes on public school,” Jeff replied and Blaine stiffened behind me.

I shook my head once. There was nothing I could do about my situation and telling Blaine’s friends how bad it really was wouldn’t help anyone.

Ispent the rest of the evening partying and getting to know Blaine’s friends and when my boyfriend offered to get me a cab at the and of the night, I accepted for once, even though Blaine insists he’d pay. I wasn’t entirely sober anymore and felt safer getting driven right to my front door.

Luckily, my dad Wa already asleep when I stumbled upstairs and collapsed onto my bed with a smile on my face. Because as shitty as the evening had begun, I ended up having a really good time.

***

Three and a half weeks after we first met, I saw Blaine’s house for the first time. It was the middle of June and the heat outside was already unbearable. So when Blaine suggested we’d move to his empty and air-conditioned house, I immediately agreed. I wasn't sure what to expect when we turned into the quiet residential street only a few blocks away from Lake Shore Drive. After all I’d never had a reason to venture into this part of the city before.

Blaine stopped in front of a townhouse and quickly hurried over to my side of the car to open the door for me. After my boyfriend unlocked the gate and the front door, he lead me into the foyer of the house. Before I had a chance to take a look around, a large black Labrador nearly bowled me over in his excitement to greet Blaine.

“Fiyero, down,” Blaine admonished and the dog immediately sat down, his tail wagging behind him.

“Fiyero?” I repeated, both eyebrows raised.

My boyfriend blushed while he leaned down and pet the dog between the ears.

“Should have been the first clue for my parents that I was gay. I got him for my thirteenth birthday and decided to name him after my favorite musical because I thought the guy playing Fiyero on Broadway was hot,” he explained.

“Totally adorable,” I assured him before I yelped. Fiyero had turned around and was trying to jump up on me while trying to lick me. At least I wasn't wearing anything special that the dog could ruin.

“Mom, dad?” Blaine called out and when no one answered, he took my hand and pulled me further into the house, Fiyero trailing after us.

All around us, the walls were adorned with paintings and other expensive looking objects. A small chandelier hung at the foot of the staircase and a Ming vase stood on top of a beautiful table next to it. I was surprised the dog hadn’t run it over yet.

“Can I get a tour?” I asked, eyes wide, as I tried to take everything in at once.

“Sure,” Blaine replied before he whistled for Fiyero who immediately raced back to them. “I need to feed him anyway.”

Our first stop was a large kitchen with state of the art appliances. Everything still looked shiny and new; nothing like my small but homey kitchen.

“My parents don’t cook and I’m not very good at it. For special occasions they hire a chef,” Blaine explained as if he had read my mind.

Fiyero barked happily when Blaine filled his bowl and I ran my hands over the marble countertops.

“I could show you if you want. I’m a pretty good cook,” I offered, because that was something I was good at.

“I’d like that,” Blaine replied, “but another time maybe. I thought we could just watch a movie after the tour and order in.”

I nodded. After all I wouldn't mind being invited back to Blaine’s house.

After Fiyero was fed, Blaine took my hand and showed me the rest of the ground floor. Next to the kitchen was a large dinning room with a table in its center that seated twelve people. A large chandelier hung over it and I was sure that the room had been designed to impress and probably intimidate whoever was invited to eat here. Next to the dinning room was the living room, which looked like it came straight out of a magazine. If I lived here, I wasn’t sure I’d even dare to sit down on any of the furniture.

Beside the front door was a coatroom, and on the other side was Blaine’s former nanny’s room.

On the first floor were a library, den, music room, and the master bedroom. I briefly peaked into the first three before I followed Blaine to the second floor.

“And up here are mine and Jimmy’s room,” Blaine explained before he opened the door on his right.

Inside was the room of a typical teenage boy. The bed was unmade, which caused Blaine to blush and quickly fix it, and the walls were covered by music and sports posters. Opposite the king sized bed, a flat screen TV was mounted on the wall, flanked by two bookcases on either side. Blaine’s desk was still covered with schoolbooks and looked like it hadn’t been touched since break started.

Two doors led away from the room, one to a huge walk-in closet that made me drool and another to an ensuite bathroom with a decent sized bathtub. Blaine’s house was the kind of place I secretly wanted to be able to afford one day – if I managed to get into a decent performing arts college and succeeded on stage.

“So, uh, do you want to watch a movie?” Blaine asked when I was done looking around. “We could stay up here or watch downstairs in the den.”

“Let’s stay here,” I suggested after eyeing Blaine’s comfortable bed.

We hadn’t done more than make out so far, and I definitely wasn’t ready for more, but I thoughtit might be nice to kiss while lying down with Blaine.

“Okay. Why don’t you pick a movie while I get us something to drink,” my boyfriend suggested and switched on the TV. After pressing a few buttons, a long list of movies appeared and Blaine handed me the remote.

I sat down in front of the TV and slowly worked my way down the list until I came across a movie I had wanted to see when it came out, but hadn’t dared to ask my dad for money for it, because it wasn’t one the guys in my neighborhood would watch.

“’Across the Universe’, awesome,” Blaine commented when he returned with a few cans of diet coke and a pitcher of iced tea. “I haven’t seen this one in a while.”

“I’ve never seen it, but I love the Beatles,” I shared and scooted backward on Blaine’s bed to make space for my boyfriend.

Blaine wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I leaned my head sideways so we were snuggled up together. We managed to just watch the movie until ‘I want to hold your hand’ came on. It reminded me of what my life has been like until recently. Until I met Blaine, I had to watch the kids at school pair up while I had to pretend it didn’t bother me and that my grades were more important to me than finding a new girlfriend.

It was meant to be a chaste kiss, the kind that was supposed to show my boyfriend how happy I was that we met, but soon the kiss grew more passionate and ended with me on my back and Blaine hovering above me.

“Is this okay?” Blaine asked, slightly out of breath, his hair out of order and his lips red and wet.

I nodded eagerly and leaned up to capture Blaine’s lips again. Blaine pressed his chest against mine again before he moves his lips away from mine and started kissing down my jaw until he reached my exposed collarbone. I tried my best not to arch up into the touch, or worse moan, but it got harder the longer Blaine was mouthing at my skin. My already tight pants grew tighter and if Blaine lowered his hips, he’d definitely feel how turned on I was. Just thinking about it made me blush, and I lightly pushed against Blaine’s chest. Thankfully, Blaine seemed to get the message without me having to say anything and we lay back down next to each other, both panting a bit.

“So, that was nice,” Blaine remarked once we had calmed down and our breathing was normal again.

I was sure my face was still bright red when I nodded shyly. I really didn’t understand how Ian could have casual sex when getting hard while just making out with my boyfriend made me feel embarrassed. I liked Blaine a lot, but I couldn’t imagine just continuing what we had started and sleeping with him right now. To his relief, Blaine and I seemed to be on the same page.

“Let’s get back to the movie. My favorite part is coming up soon,” Blaine suggested and I snuggled up to him again.

Once the movie was over, Blaine burned me a CD of the soundtrack so I could listen to it on my Discman. I tried not to be embarrassed when Blaine was surprised that I didn’t have an iPod, but it was hard not to when I was inside Blaine’s house.

“Do you want to watch another movie or do you want to go through my brother’s closet. He left behind some really awesome pieces just to spite mom, but they don’t fit me unfortunately.”

I perked up when Blaine mentioned his brother’s wardrobe. “Clothes,” I decided, clapping my hands together excitedly.

Jimmy’s closet was as Blaine had described it. Alexander McQueen hung next to Ralph Lauren and countless other designers I had only ever read about.

“You should try on the Armani,” Blaine suggested. “I’m sure you’d look great in it at my homecoming dance.”

My eyes widened. Did Blaine just invite me to a dance? Not wanting to appear too eager, I nodded once and accepted the gorgeous suit from Blaine.

“I can wait outside?” Blaine said, making it sound like a question.

I blushed but shook my head.

“Could you turn around though,” I stammered and Blaine quickly complied.

The suit pants were a bit too long on me, but it still was a couple of months till homecoming. For all I knew I could have a growth spurt over the summer, and if not, I was sure I could find someone who knew how to shorten pants. The crisp white shirt was to big on me, but again, there was a chance that I would fill out a bit until October. The jacket, however, fit perfectly.

“What do you think?” I asked Blaine, who turned around when he heard his voice.

“Gorgeous,” my boyfriend proclaimed. “Remind me to take you and the suit to our tailor before homecoming.”

“You, I, … you really don’t have to. That’s too much,” I stammered.

“Kurt, I want to have the best dressed date at this dance, so let me do this, please,” Blaine pleaded, puppy dog eyes in place.

“Fine,” I mock huffed before I carefully took off the jacket again and laid it down on Jimmy’s bed.

Once I is back in my own clothes, Blaine disappears into his brother’s closet and returned with his arms full of clothes.

“Try them on, please,” he asked. I didn’t need to be asked twice.

I was just buttoning the last buttons of a gorgeous Hugo Boss shirt when Fiyero started barking loudly.

“Blaine,” a female voice called through the house. “I saw your car outside. Please get your dog. I’m wearing Vera Wang.”

Blaine froze and paled. “Damn,” he mumbled. “What is she doing back so early?”

“Your mom?” I whispered and Blaine nodded.

Suddenly, Blaine grabbed the pile of clothing still on Jimmy’s bed and frantically shoved them back into the closet. When he saw my shocked expression he quickly assured me that he’d hang them up properly later. As we stepped out of the room, Blaine quickly called for his dog, who happily bounded up the stairs moments later and followed us into Blaine’s bedroom.

“Listen Kurt, I’m not ashamed of you or anything, I promise, but my mom is a snob like Sebastian. I don’t want her to look down on you, so could you just keep Jimmy’s clothes on for now and let me do the talking.”

I gave him a jerky nod. Of course Blaine’s mom would think I wasn’t good enough for Blaine. If we were two characters in a historical novel, we would probably be the prince and the stable boy. Having Blaine as my boyfriend seemed to be too good to be true already – there was no way I was going to embarrass Blaine in front of his mom.

When Blaine holds out his hand I quickly took it and laced our fingers together. Hand in hand we descended the stairs until we came face to face with a woman in her late forties. She was wearing a gorgeous red dress, black heels and held what I recognized as a Birkin bag in her right hand. On the floor next to her were shopping bags brandishing the names of designers I could never afford.

“Who’s this?” she asked when she spotted me next to Blaine. Blaine’s grip on my hand tightened for a moment.

“This is my boyfriend Kurt Hummel. He recently moved back to the states from Germany and we met when the headmaster asked me to show him around the school before break,” my boyfriend told his mother.

“Guten Tag,” I mumbled the only German phrase I knew. I was certain my pronunciation was shitty, but Mrs. Anderson looked impressed.

“Hello, dear,” she replied. “Let me get changed and then we can talk more during dinner. You are staying for dinner, right?”

I shared a look with Blaine who shrugged helplessly.

“I’d love to,” I told her politely. It probably wasn’t the best idea, but Mrs. Anderson looked like the kind of woman who always got what she wanted.

“Lovely. Blaine, be a dear and call that Italian place we love. Your father should be home soon as well. They know what we like,” Mrs. Anderson addressed my boyfriend who nodded.

“I’ll show you their menu,” he told me.

“Sorry. I should have made up an excuse, right?” I asked as soon as we were alone.

“It’s fine and you’re doing great. I didn’t know you spoke German,” Blaine added and I chuckled.

“I don’t. But I loved The Sound of Music growing up and that’s one thing I remembered. Why did you say I was living in Germany? I know nothing about the country.”

“I panicked and your name reminded me of that movie as well.”

“So what’s my backstory?” I asked the actor inside megetting excited over the prospect of playing this role.

Before we could come up with one though, the front door opened again and a tall man with light grey hair and blue eyes walked in. He was impeccably dressed as well and carried a briefcase.

Blaine repeated what he had told his mother, before he called the restaurant to order dinner. By the time he was done, Mrs. Anderson had returned, still dressed to the nines. While Mr. Anderson went upstairs to get changed as well, she led them into the living room and motioned for us to sit down on one of the large couches.

“So tell me, Kurt. Did your parents join the country club yet? We should probably get together soon now that you and my Blaine are an item,” Mrs. Anderson smiled at him sweetly and I paled.

I had always dreamt about being an actor and it looked like now was my chance to work on my improvisational skills.

“My parents are still in Germany,” I lied. “My dad works for a large car manufacturer and my mom works part time in a museum. I went to an international school, but my parents decided that I should finish high school in the states. They had friends in Chicago and sent me to live with them,” I continued and from the corner of my eye I could see that Blaine looked relieved and impressed.

“Good for you. Where do they live? The family you are staying with.”

I frantically searched my brain for information about Blaine’s school. My boyfriend had pointed it out a few days ago, but I couldn't remember the exact address.

“I don’t know the city very well yet,” I told Mrs. Anderson. “But it isn’t too far away from school.”

My answer seemed to satisfy Mrs. Anderson who immediately made plans to meet my ‘family’ once school starts again. Luckily, Mr. Anderson joined us at this moment and Blaine distracted his dad by asking him to tell me about his job.

It was incredibly boring listening to Blaine’s dad talk about the packaging industry, but I kept smiling politely until our food arrives. Dinner consisted of Mrs. Anderson telling Blaine about the various events she wanted Blaine to accompany her to and when she extended the invitation to me I reluctantly agreed. Because I usually works the morning shift I didn’t have a good excuse after all. As soon as dinner was over, Blaine excused us, inventing a meeting with his friends from school.

“I’m really sorry you had to sit through this,” my boyfriend apologized as soon as we were safely outside, my own clothes left behind in Blaine’s bedroom. “Let me give you a ride home to make it up to you. I promise I’ll drive carefully.”

Now that I had been to Blaine’s house, I wanted to keep Blaine away from my own even more than before. Because while I was sure my boyfriend was nothing like his mother, I couldn’t see Blaine being comfortable in our shabby but cozy living room.

“My dad…” I started but Blaine silenced me with a kiss. “I’ll park further down the street and walk you home,” he whispers between kisses and I felt my resolve weaken. But my embarrassment over the way I lived compared to Blaine won out.

“What if I don’t want to go home yet,” I whispers, before lightly kissing Blaine below his jaw. My boyfriend shuddered, eyes glazing over.

“The movies,” he stammered, “we should go to the movies. I’m sure there’s something playing we don’t really want to see.”

I immediately agreed, but I also knew that I couldn't keep Blaine away from my neighborhood forever.

***

“You still haven’t done it. It’s been two months,” Ian exclaimed incredulously and dropped the half rolled joint, spattering tobacco over the RVs seat.

“Seven weeks,” I corrected him automatically, before trying to scope up as much of the mess as possible. “It’s only been seven weeks. Why are you so surprised we’re taking it slow.”

“Because he’s hot and totally into you,” Ian replied, eyes focused on the new joint.

Ian and Lip and I had run into Blaine the previously week when Steve had paid Lip to pick up a car for him downtown and Ian and I had decided to tag along. Fortunately my friends had been on their best behavior and Blaine had seemed so happy to meet some of my friends that I hadn’t had it in me to tell Blaine that this would be a one-time thing. So when Blaine had invited the brothers along to another party on David’s boat – thankfully without meerkat face – I had passed the invitation along and had shown up with my friends in tow.

“I’m totally into him as well, but I’m happy with what we’re doing right now.”

“Kissing like two thirteen year olds?” I decided the best answer was to punch Ian’s shoulder.

“We kiss and stuff,” I huffed indignantly.

“Stuff? Like a hummer?”

I immediately shook my head. “What! No. I mean, like making out without shirts.”

Ian shot me an incredulous look. “Seriously? What’s the big deal? It’s not like you’re a girl and he’s asking to see your boobs.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at my best friend.

“Well, it’s a big deal for me. Blaine’s my first boyfriend and I don’t know … all that physical stuff makes me kind of nervous. What if I suck at it?”

I didn’t like talking about my insecurities but Ian was my best friend and we told each other everything.

“You’re both guys. It’s not so hard to figure out. And he’s a teenage guy – trust me, unless you bite his dick when you blow him, pretty much everything you do will make him come. I’m surprised he hasn’t made you come in your pants yet.”

I turned bright redbecause there had been a few close calls in the last two weeks. Lately, Blaine just looking at me seems to make my dick get out of control.

“Look, maybe the problem is that you don’t know enough about sex,” Ian continued. “I’d offer you porn, but I don’t want to hear you shriek like a little girl and cover your eyes again.”

I glared at my friend before I accepted the offered joint.

“So I’m going to tell you everything you need to know,” Ian said and I choked on the smoke still filling my lungs. After I stopped coughing up a lung, I handed the joint back to Ian.

“You really don’t have to,” I rasped out, but Ian was a man on a mission.

“Okay, first things first. Hand jobs. You’re a guy. You jerk off. So it’s not going to be rocket science. Just do whatever you do when you are alone, and ask him to tell you what he likes.”

I was sure I looked like a fire hydrant at this point. Sure, I was a typical teenage boy when it came to masturbation, but that didn’t mean that I wanted to talk about it.

“So, blow jobs. Technique’s not going to matter that much the first time because you’re both virgins. Just cover your teeth and switch things up every now and then. If you don’t want to swallow, make sure he warns you or just spit.”

“Okay, got it. You can stop now,” I pleaded but Ian ignored me.

“And if you’re going to fuck, use a condom, because otherwise it’s going to be even more messy. Fingers and lots of lube are your friends. Don’t worry if it hurts a first, if you don’t screw up completely, you should still get a happy ending.”

“Are we done?” I nearly whimpered and Ian smirked.

“Well, I could tell you all about rimming, but somehow I don’t think you’re ready for that,” he teased and I tackled him in the confined space we were in and shoved him against the door.

“You’re such a dick,” I told Ian with a fond smile on my face.

“But you love me,” Ian retorted, fluttering his eyelashes.

I was saved by the bell when my phone rang and I quickly extracted himself from Ian and jumped outside to take Blaine’s call.

“Hey, we were just talking about you,” I said, slightly out of breath.

“Only good things I hope,” Blaine replied.

I looked over to Ian who was miming a blow job and blushed furiously again.

“You could say that,” I muttered, before my brain caught up to my mouth and I quickly changed the subject to avoid embarrassing myself.

***

“Can you believe it?”

I wasfurious and the only person I could vent my frustrations to was Blaine. My dad would have a heart attack if he found out.

“So the cars Steve asked you to pick up were stolen?” Blaine asked incredulously.

“Uh, uh. If I’d known I would have never gotten into one of those cars. I can’t have a record if ever want to make something of myself,” I seethed.

“Kurt, you’ve already made something of yourself,” Blaine replied. “You get amazing grades, you help your neighbors and your dad, and you have a part time job. You should be proud of yourself.”

I stopped my pacing for a moment. “You really think so?”

Blaine nodded. “I’m proud of you and I know your dad is too.”

“Well, he wouldn’t be if I had gotten caught with a stolen car,” I muttered before I let Blaine wrap his arms around me and sooth me with kisses.

“Am I ever going to meet all those people you tell me so much about? School’s starting again soon and I still haven’t been to your place. You’re not ashamed of me right?”

I gaped at my boyfriend. Why the hell would I be ashamed of Blaine? “Of course not.”

“Good. And you know I don’t care that your family isn’t rich, so that can’t be the reason you’re not inviting me over.”

“I’m not ashamed of you, but I am worried about what people will say about me if they see us together. Especially if you drive me home,” I finally confessed.

Blaine looked a bit hurt for a moment before a look of understanding crossed his face.

“I could dress down and take the train with you,” he offered.

“What did I do to deserve you?” I whispered and pulled Blaine into my arms.

“Your fabulous self saved me from your straight friend,” Blaine quipped and I pressed our lips together. We stayed like this, pressed together, for a while, until I pulled back so we were forehead against forehead.

“The Gallaghers, my neighbors, are having a small party next weekend. Would you like to come? My dad will be out of town so you could spend the night at my place,” I offered, my hands shaking only slightly.

“I’d love to.”

***

“How do I look?” Blaine greeted me as he walked down the stairs at the 87th street stop.

My boyfriend was wearing a large Bears T-shirt, sagging jeans and well-worn sneakers. His hair had no product in it and his curls were bouncing with every step he took.

“You look ridiculous,” I told him with a smile on my face, before I pulled Blaine into a short one-armed hug. We were on my turf now, so holding hands in broad daylight was out of the question, sadly.

“So, I know you said I could sleep over at your place, but I was wondering if you’d like to spend the night with me on my dad’s boat. I’m finally allowed on it again and school is starting soon, so I thought it would be nice, you know … I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

I laughed. I wanted nothing more than calm Blaine’s nerves with a kiss, but I couldn’t– not tonight. No one but Fiona and Lip knew that Ian and I were gay and it was best if it stayed that way.

“I’d love to,” I told Blaine, whose face lit up immediately.

“Can I still see your house first?” my boyfriend asked as we walked down the street next to each other. We were close, but not too close – just two friends walking home.

“Sure, it’s the one over there.” I pointed at my freshly painted house. My dad and a few co-workers had spent the last week repainting the outside of our house and I was glad I had waited until it was done before I invited Blaine over.

I had planted a few shrubs in our tiny front yard – flowers would be too girly for two men – and my dad had put a small wooden bench next to the front door. (If you know Shameless – Kurt’s house is modeled after Sheila’s)

As always, I had to kick the door a few times before I could turn the key and push it open. Directly opposite the front door was a staircase leading to the upstairs bedrooms. Next to the stairs was our living room, filled with furniture I had found at flea markets. Pictures of me with my parents adorn the walls and a large and heavy TV sat in the corner by the window.

“Your dad never remarried?” Blaine asked, studying the pictures on the wall.

I shook my head. “He’s been seeing someone for a while now, but they both don’t want to get married again,” I explained.

Next, I showed Blaine our small, but cozy kitchen. Another door led from the kitchen into the backyard, and as we stepped outside, we could hear music playing next door. The smell of a BBQ wafted over the fence and my stomach rumbled. Though I was quite hungry, I took Blaine’s hand and steered him upstairs to my bedroom.

“No one ever comes over apart from Ian, so I could decorate however I wanted,” I explained before I pushes the door to my room open.

My walls were covered with Broadway posters and hidden on the inside of my closet hung a calendar with pictures of the Olympic swim team. My room was probably only a third the size of Blaine’s, but I loved it. Apart from my bed there was only a desk and a dresser squeezed into the room, but it was enough for me.

“I like it. It’s very you,” Blaine observed. “I mean the you I know,” he added.

“Yeah, well, get ready to meet the other me,” I muttered. “So please kiss me before I have to play straight again.”

Fortunately, I didn’t have to ask twice. Blaine tackled me, ending with him on top of me on my bed. I groaned but when Blaine tried to pull away, I locked my ankles behind Blaine’s legs and held him in place. We hadn’t seen each other for a few days and it didn’t take long before Blaine was pulling on the hem of my shirt. I quickly sat up to pull first my own and then Blaine’s shirt off. Over the past two weeks, Blaine and I had progressed in our physical relationship going as far as grinding against one another in our underwear until we both came. We hadn’t seen the other fully naked yet, but I had a plan for the night. Ever since Blaine and I had started fooling around, I couldn’t get enough of it and to be quite honest, I wanted more. And I was certain that Blaine wanted it too. Our three months anniversary was only two days away and I intended to celebrate it by getting naked with my boyfriend for the first time. I was just trying to unzip Blaine’s fly when a pillow suddenly smacked me square in the face.

“What the fuck!” I yelled and looked over to my open door. We hadn't bothered with closing it because I was home alone, but now I was regretting it because Ian was leaning against it, a sly smile on his face.

“I see you took my advice,” he teased but before he could continue I threw the pillow back at him. Ian raised his hands in surrender.

“Okay, okay. I get it. Fiona just wanted me to tell you that dinner’s ready.”

I quickly pulls my shirt back on and handed Blaine his.

“Where’d you get all that meat anyway?” I asked, dreading the answer. The Gallagher kids more often than not didn’t have any qualms about stealing stuff.

“Would you believe it? Carl found an abandoned meat truck just as few houses down,” Ian told him with a wink. My eyes widened, but Blaine just beamed at Ian.

“Cool,”he said, while Ian was trying hard not to burst out laughing.

“Out,” I ordered him and Ian saluted me before he left.

“Well, that was embarrassing,” I muttered. When Blaine started to laugh, I glared at my boyfriend as well.

“That’s nothing. Embarrassing was the one time my brother caught me watching porn.”

As soon as he said it, he slapped his hand over his mouth. “Forget I said that. I don’t watch porn,” Blaine stammered, his cheeks turning red.

I nodded and got off the bed to fix my hair and to check myself over for hickeys. Just as we were walking back downstairs I spoke up again.

“So,” I drawled, “what kind of porn?” Blaine groaned and banged his head against the wall.

***

Three small tables were pushed together in the Gallagher backyard when we arrived. Before I stepped outside to introduce Blaine, I pulled a still smirking Ian aside.

“Frank isn’t here, right?” I really didn’t want to traumatize Blaine.

Ian shook his head and I let out a sigh of relief.

“Who’s Frank?” Blaine asked, but I shook my head. “You don’t want to know.”

With that I steered Blaine outside where Debbie and Carl were shooting each other with water pistols while Liam was crawling between the chairs. I led Blaine up to the table where I whistles once. All heads turned toward us.

“Everyone. This is my friend Blaine.”

There were shouts of ‘Hey Blaine’, before my friends turned back to what they were doing. A beer can nearly hit me in the head and I scowled.

“Sorry man, but that light crap you like is out. Steve went to the store for more though and if you’re lucky he’s getting some of that piss for you,” Kev yelled and Blaine’s eyes widened.

“Welcome to my world,” I muttered, hoping my boyfriend wasn’t too shocked. It wasn’t like Blaine and his friends didn’t drink, but they usually had expensive wines or champagne around.

“Blaine, you drink regular, right?” Kev asked and before Blaine could answer another can flew through the air. Luckily, Blaine caught it expertly.

“This is Kev. He owns a bar around here, “I explained. “And the woman next to Lip is Veronica, Kev’s girlfriend,” I continued.

At that moment, Fiona stepped outside and picked up a whining Liam.

“That’s Fiona and her youngest brother Liam,” I whispered.

“She looks so young,” Blaine replied quietly.

“She’s twenty-one, but if she didn’t take care of the kids they would all end up in the system. And trust me, they are better off here. I’d know,” I informed my boyfriend.

Blaine’s eyes widened. “You’ve been in foster care?” he gasped and I mentally slapped himself. I had never told Blaine about my dad because it wasn’t my story to tell.

“Um, yeah, but only briefly when I was younger. My dad was in the hospital and there was no one else to take care of me,” I lied. It was as close to the truth as I could get without revealing my dad’s secret.

“That sucks. I’m sorry,” Blaine said, but I shrugged it off. Something good had come off it in the end. I had met my best friend during my stint in foster care and had learnt how to defend myself.

Moments later, Carl introduced himself by shooting Blaine with his water pistol and Debbie, when she brought Blaine a towel. Dinner was a lively affair and Blaine and I both devoured our first two burgers. I was about to encourage Blaine to go for thirds, when Steve returned from the liquor store with plenty of beer and vodka. Next to me, Blaine suddenly stiffened. “

Jimmy,” he called out, sounding shocked. I looked over to Steve, who had frozen like a deer caught in headlights as well. One of the bottles he was holding clattered to the floor, but fortunately didn’t break.

“Um, Blaine. That’s my boyfriend Steve,” Fiona informed Blaine, probably wondering what was going on. I understood her confusion, because what? Blaine knew Steve?

“I’m sorry but no. That’s my older brother Jimmy. Who’s supposed to be in med school in Michigan,” Blaine suddenly yelled. “And certainly not putting Kurt’s future in danger by making him drive stolen cars,” he added before he suddenly paled.

“Oh my god! The car you gave me for my birthday. You didn’t pay for it.” It wasn’t a question, it was an accusation. One that Steve didn’t deny.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Fiona’s Steve was Blaine’s highly praised brother Jimmy?

“Blaine, I can explain.” Steve, no Jimmy, took a step toward Blaine but Blaine just glared at his brother before he started laughing hysterically.

“And all the time I had to listen to mom telling me I should be more like you. ‘Why can’t you get straight As like Jimmy. Why don’t you want to make something of yourself like Jimmy. Music is not a business for the Andersons. Look at Jimmy, going to med school.’ But look at you – you are a car thief.”

Blaine looked like he was about to have a break down, so I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the house.

“Blaine wait,” Jimmy called after them. “Don’t tell Mom.”

Blaine stopped abruptly, causing me to stumble. “You know I would never do that,” he turned to glare at his brother. 

Outside, everyone was still staring and Fiona looked like she wanted to kill Jimmy herself.

“But I’m still mad at you,“ Blaine added, a lot calmer.

Jimmy frowned, but then he raised an eyebrow and jerked his head in my direction. It wan’t hard to guess what he was asking and I held my breath.

“Not now,” Blaine told his brother and I released it. My boyfriend took another step forward and addressed the group of people outside.

“Um, thanks for having me. See ya.” With that he turned around, dragging me with him.

***

“Are you okay?” I asked when we were seated on the train back into the city.

Blaine shrugged. “I don’t care about what he does with his life. He wants to drop out of med school and steal cars – fine, whatever. I’m just mad that he involved you.”

“I shouldn’t have agreed to drive his car anyway. I didn’t even have a license,” I reminded my boyfriend. I had been stupid and I knew it.

“Yeah, but if you had gotten caught in your dad’s car, you’d probably gotten away with a slap on the wrist. It’s just so typically Jimmy. Never thinking about anyone but himself.”

I briefly squeezed Blaine’s arm.

“I’m sorry. Do still want to go to your boat?” I asked. “Or do you want to go home?”

“Oh no. I definitely want to go,” Blaine immediately replied. “I, uh, have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise, hu?” I repeated and leaned in closer. I was getting better and better at this flirting thing in my humble opinion.

“Not that kind of surprise. Get your mind out of the gutter,” Blaine joked. “I would never say no to you though,” he added with a wink.

“Can I get a hint?” I asked, but my boyfriend shook his head.

“Patience, my dear,” he teased me, earning us a strange look from the overweight woman sitting opposite us. “Your surprise is waiting for you on the boat.”

“What if I had insisted that we stay at my place,” I asked.

“Well, it would have been a good thing then, that I know how to improvise.”

***

Blaine’s father’s yacht was anchored at Belmont Harbor, which was part of the Chicago yacht club. On our way there, we took a detour to Blaine’s house first, so my boyfriend could change into his regular clothes and I into some of Jimmy’s.

“Pick the most expensive,” Blaine called over his shoulder before stalking into his bedroom and I complied. If that was how Blaine chose to deal with his anger, who was I to argue?

Fiyero whined piteously when after we had freshened up and changed clothes, Blaine and I tried to leave. Neither of Blaine’s parents was home and I wanted to leave before Mr. or Mrs. Anderson returned. Having to lie about my life all the time got exhausting fast.

“Should we take him with us?” I wondered as Fiyero looked at me with his big brown eyes. I could never withstand the puppy dog eyes, Blaine was prone to employ as well.

My boyfriend mulled it over for a moment before he picked up the leash hanging next to the front door and attached it to the collar of thebouncing and tail waggling dog.

“You can come with us, but you are going to sleep far away from me and Kurt,” Blaine knelt down to instruct the dog, who cocked his head and barked once.

Istarted to wonder if maybe Blaine had the same plans for the night as I had. The condoms Ian had forced on me after our talk were burning a hole into the back pocket of my borrowed jeans and I was certain everyone would be able to tell what I was trying to conceal just by looking at me. But in the end I knew better to be safe than sorry in case we decided to go all the way tonight.

“Are we going to stay in the harbor?” I asked as we walked down the street to where Blaine had parked his car, Fiyero pulling at his leash, urging them to hurry up.

“Actually, I wanted to take you out. The sunrise is beautiful out on the lake and I thought, maybe, we could watch it together.”

How are you real? I wondered. Some times, I really thought that Blaine had stepped right out of one of those romance novels I had devoured when I was younger.

“It sounds lovely,” I replied out loud. I accept Fiyero’s leash and held onto the dog until Blaine had spread out a blanket for him in the trunk.

Once we reached the harbor, Blaine had to sign us in like he had at Monroe Harbor where David’s boat had been, and I was glad that Blaine had thought about changing clothes before coming to the club. Because the club house was still open and well dressed people were milling around, who without a doubt would have judged the hell out of us had we shown up in our previous attire.

“Which one is yours?” I asked Blaine as we stepped onto the docks and walked toward the water.

The waves lapped gently against the sides of the boats tide up right and left of us as we continued walking in the direction Blaine pointed out. My boyfriend led me to a boat that was tided up at the end of the dock. It was smaller than David’s boat and looked perfect for a get-a-way for two. Blaine helped me climb aboard before he picked up Fiyero and heaved him up as well. Only when he saw that I had a firm grip on the railing, did he loosen the ropes and climbed on as well. Fiyero immediately disappeared behind a corner, obviously familiar with the yacht.

After Blaine had started the engine, he pulled me onto his lap while steering the boat carefully out of the harbor and out onto Lake Michigan. Neither of us spoke while I craned my neck and watched the Chicago skyline become smaller and smaller in the distance. Once Blaine deemed us far enough out on the open waters, he stopped the boat and lowered the anchor.

“Do I get my surprise now?” I whispered before lightly sucking on my boyfriend’s earlobe, causing Blaine to shiver.

“You need to get up, now,” Blaine replied, his voice coming out slightly strained.

I blushed but complied before I offered Blaine a hand to pull him up as well. Blaine laced our fingers together and led me downstairs into a tiny bedroom. While I sat down on the bed, Blaine started to rummage through a cupboard before he returned clutching an envelope to his chest.

“What’s that?” I asked when Blaine handed it over.

“Read it,” Blaine instructed and I pulled out a letter from the envelope.

I made it through the first three lines before I gasped and dropped the letter in shock. Blaine picked it up and started reading it to me from the start while I tried to wrap my head around what I had just read.

_Dear Mr. Hummel, we are pleased to inform you that you have been approved for transfer to the Chicago Academy of the Arts. You will be provided with a full academic scholarship should you accept the place offered at our school. Please inform us of your decision by August 16th. Classes for the fall semester will start August 23rd. We are looking forward to hearing from you._

I was still gaping at Blaine when my boyfriend finished reading the letter.

“What? How?” I croaked because I was certain I had never applied to the performing arts high school Blaine attended.

“I had Wes’ dad pull a few strings,” Blaine admitted but I was still confused.

“But I didn’t even audition and academic scholarship? How do they know my grades?”

Blaine scratched the back of his head, a sure sign that he was nervous.

“Don’t be mad, okay.” I nodded because if it got me out of my hellhole of a school I didn’t care about what Blaine had.

“Remember when I filmed you singing?” I nodded again. “And when I showed you around school and asked you to sing a duet with me in the auditorium?” I just kept nodding. “Well, I told the school you were afraid to audition because you knew you couldn’t afford to attend and asked them to secretly watch you. I didn’t want you to get your hopes up in case things didn’t work out,” my boyfriend explains.

“But my transcripts?” I asked.

“Well at first Ian and Lip offered to break into your school and steal them but then I talked to your dad and he got them for me.”

“So they were all in on this?” I wondered. To be honest, I was glad they were because otherwise I would be worried about leaving Ian behind or my dad not approving. Though the latter wasn’t very plausible. My dad had wanted me in a different school for the longest time.

“So I get to go to school with you and don’t have to pay for it and I get to sing at school?” I asked incredulously.

It all seemed too good to be true but Blaine kept nodding, a huge smile on his face.

“Thank you,” I whispered because I lacked the words in that moment to say anything else.

But there’s a way I could show Blaine how much I appreciated what my boyfriend had done for me. I took the letter from Blaine’s hand and carefully set it down on the floor next to the bed before I got up and locked the door. I knew that Fiyero was only a dog, but I didn’t want anyone interrupting us.

“Kurt?” Blaine gulped, looking nervous and excited at the same time.

“I love you,” I told him. And I meant it. I didn’t just say it because I was grateful. “Let me show you?”

Blaine’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard and nodded frantically at the same time.

“I love you, too,” Blaine whispered as I took a step toward the bed.

I started to unbutton Jimmy’s shirt as I approached Blaine but didn’t resist when my boyfriend batted my hands away and took over. We’d taken each other’s shirts off before, but somehow it felt different this time. We weren’t frantic, but took our time. Between kisses we slowly undressed until we were both in our underwear and I was straddling Blaine’s thighs. I tried not to shiver when Blaine caressed my naked back before his hands settle on my hips, his thumb toying with the waistband of my dark blue boxer-briefs. Neither of our underwear hid how aroused we both were and I couldn’t wait to take Blaine’s off. For now I just nodded when Blaine smiles at me hesitantly. Once my erection was freed I helped Blaine along by kicking my underwear off with my feet. Blaine’s eyes trail over my nude body and I tried my best not to blush or cover myself instinctively.

“You’re gorgeous,” Blaine whispered reverently and I hid my face in the crook of Blaine’s neck for a moment.

“Yours too?” I asked shyly and when Blaine nodded, I carefully removed Blaine’s boxers as well.

I didn’t mean to stare but when my eyes reach Blaine’s exposed dick, I couldn’t tear my eyes away for a moment. I’d seen other boys naked before in the locker room, but I’d never been this close to a dick that wasn’t my own before. Once I was done staring I was stumped about what to do next. Should we just do what we were already doing just without underwear? There was so much skin on display and I had no clue where to start. Luckily, Blaine’s brain seemed to function better than my in that moment.

“Can I touch you?” Blaine asked quietly, clearly nervous as well. I gulped but nodded. This was it. Another boy was going to touch my dick for the first time. When Blaine’s dry hand wrapped around me, I couldn't help but gasp. The angle was a bit awkward but it was still hands down the best I’ve ever felt. I wanted to lean forward and kiss Blaine, but it was like my body was frozen, hovering over Blaine.

“Oh my god,” I moaned, unable to keep it in.

“Okay?” Blaine asked and instead of trying for a verbal answer I decided to show him how fantastic I felt.

I put my left hand on Blaine’s shoulder to keep my balance before I wrapped my own hand around Blaine’s erection.

“Fuck!” Blaine moaned and I raised an eyebrow because my boyfriend never cursed.

I wanted to tell Blaine how good this felt, how much I loved him, but my brain to mouth filter had apparently switched off the moment Blaine started stroking me, because all I managed to blurt out was “I have condoms."

Blaine’s hand on my dick paused and I hastily retracted mine as well. I had managed to freakBlaine out and would now have to go to bed with blue balls, I was sure. Maybe I should just jump off the boat and try to swim back instead of making Blaine spend the night with me.

When I dared to look at Blaine, my boyfriend’s face was bright red.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to pressure you or presume that we would…” I apologized but was quickly silenced by Blaine’s lips on mine.

Once we separated, Blaine leaned over the edge of the bed and started digging through his messenger bag. My eyebrows shot up when I saw the bottle of lube and the condoms Blaine pulled out of the bag.

“You brought stuff too?” I gasped and Blaine nodded sheepishly.

“I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want you to feel pressured,” he admitted and I couldn’t help it, I started laughing.

“That’s what we get for not talking about it,” I forced out between laughs and after a few moments Blaine started laughing as well.

It was ridiculous. There we were, both completely naked, our erections nearly touching, and all we were doing about it was laughing. When Blaine’s hands suddenly moved from my hip to my bare ass I abruptly stopped laughing though. I wasn’t sure if I should push back into the touch or just wait and see where Blaine was going with this.

“So, um…” Blaine started before he quickly puts his hand back on my hip. I pouted. “How far do we want to go tonight?” Blaine asked.

I knew what I wanted but I didn’t want to be the one to say it first. So I said the worst thing possible. “I’m game if you are.”

Blaine snorted and I turned an even darker shade of pink. This was so not going as planned. Our first time was supposed to be romantic and just perfect, and definitely not us ending up laughing every few minutes.

“I don’t think we’re very good at this,” Blaine remarked dryly and I agreed whole-heartedly.

“I’m starting to hate those romance novels I read where the characters always know what to do and their first time is just perfect,” I admitted before shifting a bit on top of Blaine to take the pressure off my knees.

My change of position causes both of us to gasp because suddenly my erection was pressed right up against Blaine’s.

“I’m game too,” Blaine stammered as his grip on my hips tightened. I was too busy feeling awesome to reply. Because maybe we weren’t that bad at this after all.

And then Blaine threw me a second curveball tonight.

“Will you make love to me?” my boyfriend whispered and I nearly lost my balance. Before I crushed Blaine though, I steadied myself, both hands on Blaine’s shoulders now.

“Really?” I asked, checking Blaine’s face for any doubt. Blaine looked nervous but how could he not when we were about to have sex for the first time? After all, we were two bumbling teenagers who barely knew what we were doing.

“Yes,” Blaine whispered, sounding nervous still, but also very much aroused.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I voiced my own insecurities. When I had thought about sex with Blaine, I had always kind of assumed that Blaine would want to top – at least the first time. So I had mentally prepared myself for the fact that it might hurt or not feel that great the first time around. But now Blaine was asking me to take charge, so to speak, and I was at a loss for what to do.

“I’ll be fine,” Blaine assured me, before his cheeks flushed. “I may have tried to figure out if I would like it or not in the past few weeks,” he admitted then and I gaped at him.

“You mean you have…?” I didn’t finish the sentence, but pointedly looked at Blaine’s fingers, which were still digging into the skin above my hips.

Blaine nodded shyly and I calmed considerably. Because if I did it wrong, Blaine would be able to tell me how he liked it.

“So how,” I cleared my throat, “how should we do this?” I was surprised I was still hard after all the talking we had done since we’d first gotten naked.

Blaine took a second pillow and attempted to put it under his hips, nearly knocking me off of him in the process. Apparently this was becoming a theme tonight. Once he’d settled and I had relocated between my boyfriend’s spread thighs, I took the bottle of lubricant from Blaine’s hand. The top was still wrapped in plastic and I struggled for a moment to pull it off so I could open the bottle. Remembering Ian’s advice I attempted to squeeze out a decent amount, but put a bit too much force behind it. The cool liquid immediately started to trickle down my fingers and I stared at my hand, wondering how I was supposed to do this without making a total mess. In the end, I settles on wiping the palm of my hand on my own hip, before my other tries to spread the lube around my fingers.

When I finally felt like I was properly prepared, I dared to look at Blaine, who was trying his best to not burst out laughing again. The time for embarrassment was long gone though and I hesitantly trailed my lubed up fingers over Blaine’s balls and perineum until they reach their intended destination.

“Go slow,” Blaine instructed me and I nodded once, before I carefully pushed my forefinger in. I wasn’t sure if it was me or Blaine who gasped and waited with baited breath until he told him to move.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long until Blaine started to moan underneath me and I was glad that something was finally going right. I hadn’t found Blaine’s prostate yet, but at least Blaine seemed to enjoy himself.

“You can, another…” Blaine stuttered and I quickly complied causing Blaine to wince. “Slow down,” he added and I mumbled out an apology.

It was weird, because even though my dick hadn’t been touched in a while, I felt even more aroused now just from watching Blaine react to what I was doing.

“Should I, another one?” I asked a minute or so later, when my two fingers were moving smoothly. Blaine nodded frantically and I tried to squeeze some more lube onto my ringfinger without spilling it everywhere.

I nearly dropped the bottle though when I heard the crinkle of a foil package. I tried to focus on pushing another finger into Blaine, but got distracted when Blaine rolling a condom over my dick. It was probably for the best that Blaine was doing it because both my hands were slippery with lube at this point though I had no idea how the liquid had ended up on my other hand as well. After stretching Blaine with three fingers for a few minutes, unfortunately, still without successfully locating my boyfriend’s prostate, Blaine suddenly put his hand on mine, pausing my movements.

“I’m ready,” Blaine gasped.

I was still a bit doubtful. I didn’t think I was especially big, but I was questioning how I was supposed to fit inside of Blaine.

“Stop me if I hurt you,” I told him and Blaine nodded frantically, making me doubt Blaine was even listening.

Slowly, I retracted my fingers causing Blaine to gasp again but before I could pick up the lube again, Blaine’s slippery hand closes around my erection and started stroking me. I let out a strangled moan, feeling so close before we even got started. I hoped to god I would last longer than a few seconds once I was inside of Blaine. The lube on my own hand was drying rapidly and I wiped it on the sheet underneath me, thinking we would have to wash the sheets anyway.

“You need to stop,” I moaned, though I immediately missed the touch of Blaine’s hand when it was gone.

Slowly I scooted forward, wrapping a hand around my dick once it was right in front of Blaine’s entrance. Here goes nothing, I thought before I attempted to slowly push into Blaine. Attempted being the key word. The moment I started pushing in, my brain shut off and I went much faster and further than planned, only stopping when Blaine hissed.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I apologized while trying to stay completely still. Blaine was so tight around me and I didn't know why I hadn’t spontaneously combusted already.

A single tear trickled down my boyfriend’s cheek and I felt like the worst person ever for causing Blaine pain.

“It’s okay,” Blaine forced out through gritted teeth, “but slow down please. You feel huge.”

I blushed and nodded while internally berating myself for letting my hormones take over. We remained frozen for a few moments until Blaine nodded once. Afraid to hurt my boyfriend again, I kept my eyes on Blaine’s face as I slowly inched forward again until I couldn’t go any further.

“Fuck,” Blaine groaned again and it turned me on even more.

“Please tell me I can move,” I pretty much begged, unable to keep my hips completely still any longer.

Blaine took a deep breath before he nodded and as soon as he did, I pulled back before pushing back in. Unfortunately, once I started moving it was over embarrassingly fast. Before I knew it, every nerve in my body felt like it was on fire and before I could stop it my orgasm washed over me. For a moment I thought I was seeing stars. This was hands down the most intense orgasms I’ve had so far.

Once my body stopped shaking I collapsed onto Blaine, utterly spent. Only Blaine’s erection digging into my stomach reminded me that mu boyfriend hadn’t come yet and I pulled my softening dick out, causing Blaine to wince again. The condom felt disgusting on me now and I didn’t know how to get rid off it without making a mess, but all that had to wait because I needed Blaine to feel as good as I did.

“Sorry,” I apologized yet again, because nothing had gone the way I had envisioned it. “What do you want me to do?”

“Your hand and your fingers maybe,” Blaine rasped, pupils blown wide and seemingly unperturbed by my inability to hold out longer.

Once two of my fingers were back inside I focuses on finding Blaine’s prostate because my inability to do so was getting ridiculous. When Blaine’s back arched off the bed and he pushes back against my hand I knew that I had finally found it and I redoubled my efforts to make Blaine come. After that it didn’t take long before Blaine started cursing again, and came moaning my name. It was the most erotic thing I had ever heard and I basked in the feeling for a moment before I was reminded of how uncomfortable I felt now that I had come down from my high. With Blaine’s help I managed to get the condom off eventually and we ended up cleaning ourselves with tissues and a bottle of water from Blaine’s bag because neither of us wanted to leave the bed just yet. Once were clean, just lying naked next to each other suddenly felt awkward however and I squirmed not knowing what the proper post sex etiquette was. Would Blaine be offended if I put on my underwear back on? And were we supposed to go to sleep now? It was only a little bit after eleven as the clock on the wall informed me and while I was exhausted in the best way, I was certain I couldn't fall asleep just yet. Before I had to make any kind of decision, Fiyero saved me by starting to scratch at the door.

“We should probably go see what he wants,” Blaine sighed, before he reached down and handed me my boxer-briefs.Neither of us said a word as we put on our underwear and shirts, but I gave Blaine a grateful smile when my boyfriend held out his hand for me to take. Blaine showed me to a small kitchen where he quickly fed Fiyero, before he pulled a bottle of champagne out of the fridge.

“Really?” I asked and Blaine smiled bashfully. “I think we should celebrate,” he suggested, causing my eyebrows to shoot up.

“You want to celebrate this?” I asked incredulously because I was pretty certain that I had ruined everything tonight.

Soft lips press against mine and I lost myself in the touch for a moment.

“I think we need more practice, but yeah I want to celebrate sharing this with you. And as for practice … we have all the time in the world,” Blaine whispered against my lips.

It’s exactly what I needed to hear and I wondered, not for the first time, if my boyfriend secretly knew how to read my mind.

Blaine hands me the chilled bottle and two glasses before he disappeared downstairs again. When he returned, he was carrying pillows and blankets. Together we settled on the deck, clinking our glasses together, while the stars twinkled above us.

“I love you,” I repeated. I didn’t know what the future would bring, but right now I felt like the luckiest person on earth. I had a boyfriend who loved me, friends and family who supported me and I was about to start at a school I had secretly dreamed about for the past few years.

Eventually, after more declarations of love, and whispered assurances that we were both okay, we must have fallen asleep, because dawn was breaking when I opened my eyes again. Blaine and I were cuddled up together under a blanket, our hands intertwined on top of Blaine’s heart. At first I was confused about what had woken him, before a wet tongue licked over my cheek again. I shooed the dog away before I softly kissed Blaine’s cheek. 

“The sun’s about to rise,” I informed the sleep mused boy whose eyes blinked open and close a few times before hazel met blue.

“It’s beautiful,” Blaine commented, still looking at me though and I rolled my eyes because I knew what I looked like first thing in the morning. But maybe this was one of those things where you saw the person you loved through different eyes, because to me Blaine looked perfect as well, regardless of the pillow marks on his face and the unruly curls sticking up in odd directions.

“I’m so glad my situation didn’t scare you off,” I admitted as we watched the sunrise a few minutes later, stilled wrapped around each other under the blanket, Fiyero sleeping by our feet. Blaine softly kissed my temple.

 

“To me you are perfect … just the way you are.”

 

** The End. **

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I’m going to hide under a rock now ;)


End file.
